Tropicals & Tender Perennials: Ric Rac Blooming, 0 by Gitagal

Gitagal wrote:
Clare,

The picture you posted from Kachinagirl (she and I have corresponded a lot) is the kind of a bloom I was expecting on mine, since that was the only one I had seen posted. I still think the "fronds" on her Ric-Rac look just like mine, but I KNOW that mine is an
S. Anthonyanus! It was so diagnosed a couple of years ago when i first posted my plea for identification. There you can also read the "history" of how I got the original cutting from an old lady. It was about 4" long and of the skinny variety that this plant grows if it does not get enough light. That was about 10 or 12 years ago.

I am happy that my blooms will be red, as I think the ones in Karen's picture are so-so color-wise.

Karen (Kachinagirl) sent me 2 red Epis and a white night-blooming Cereus a couple of years ago. I am awaiting some blooms from them, whenever that will be. They are growing nicely. Probably have to wait until THEY get root-bound. I am patient..........

One thing I would suggest to anyone who has been sent any of these type of plants is to plant them, right off, in a heavy, sturdy pot as their fronds are very heavy and once they sprawl East, West, South and North, they will be VERY difficult to transplant. This comes under the "live and learn" category.

I would LOVE to have my Ric-Rac in a heavy clay pot that I could just hang from sturdy ropes, but--alas!--I have it in a plastic HB pot and I live in fear of the weight breaking the plastic hangers. I just wish it hung even and upright, NOT all tilted to one side because all the fronds are on that side.
I have a second pot (of offspring) doing the same thing! I turn it around now and then hoping the growth will rotate to the light, but-------------NAH!

As we all know, gardening is letting Nature take it's course. Sometimes you can help it along--other times you cannot.

Sigh.............Gita