Tropicals & Tender Perennials: Epiphyllium, 1 by Happenstance

Happenstance wrote:
The best tip I would give him is:

They like & NEED to get "cold" through the winter to bloom.

Fish emulsion is probably the next best tip, lots of it prior to the bloom season. I start feeding them as soon as they finish blooming until it gets cold in November.

Snails love these things, so baiting for snails is a must because the snails always seem to go for those tender buds.

Take all of the above with a grain of salt because my definition of "cold" certainly wouldn't apply to what you in SK would consider cold. Our low last winter for a couple of night time hours was 34F. Brrrrrrr!!

The years when I have babied them (kept them sheltered, kept them in the sun room, kept them in an enclosed pool area) they have bloomed sparsely. The years that I have ignored them (but still baited for snails)they have rewarded me with batches of blooms.

Age is also a factor.....it usually takes a number (2-8)of years til they bloom. Patience applies in this situation.

Here's my favorite epi from this year, they bloomed long and hard for almost 3 months:
Happenstance Garden Epiphyllum http://davesgarden.com/fp.php?pid=624022