new to Epiphyllum

Hi all! A friend recently gave me some cuttings of her Orchid Cactus which she's had for quite some time. I don't know much about it, but I think it's a day blooming Epiphyllum and the flowers are red. Anyways, my friend told me to just stick the cuttings in some potting soil(I used miracle grow) with rooting powder on them and they'll grow. So its been a couple weeks now and they still look good, they're in the basement which gets lots of bright south light. They're not in the sun but getting bright indirect light just below a south facing window. Its on the cool side where they are(probably around 64) and I was wondering if thats to cool for them to root or do they need it warmer? I'm new to Orchid cactus so any tips would be great! They looked dry yesterday so I gave them a little water, not much though cause I don't want them to rot. I've got a picture, it's not very good because my camera battery is almost dead so I snapped the pic really fast.

Thank you :)
Steven

Looks fine to me. That's how I start mine.

it looks pretty good. Don't treat it like a cactus, treat it like an african violet that likes temperature changes. Seriously.

Thanks for your replies! So I should just keep doing what I'm doing?


Steven

Welcome to orchid cactus.

I agree with the above.

Sandy

Thank-you for the welcome!

Just curious, how long does it usually take for cuttings to put out their first bloom?

No telling.(2 or more) But it is at least a lot shorter time than for the seedlings. (7 or more years for the seeds to flower) BUT it is well worth the wait-the flowers are wonderful.

Sandy

Thank you again Sandy for your help!

Mine took 3 years. It was worth the wait.

I guess I'm in for the long run :) Thanks Julie

with epis patients is important. I was told that a early breeder always grow his seedlings until they bloomed. One took 20 years to bloom but that was the first yellow epis ever.

Sandy.

It takes patience. Just as I think I am not going to have a good summer they bloom. They like the rain. I put mine out in the shade under my deck on the patio and mine bloomed twice last summer. Misting the plant over summer if you decide not to put it outside in the shade then use a spray bottle and mist them. Misting them will help the flower process for some reason. I pretty much neglect mine over the winter. Water them once or twice over the winter and then put them out. I have to repot mine. Mine are huge 30 years old. I have cut them down a lot, but I may try tying them upwards an see what happens. Hang in there!!!

Thanks Julie and Sandy! I'll probably take mine out for the summer.....the cuttings are starting to shrivel....is that normal before they root?

I have my yellow one in a 16 inch hanging pot.......got so big and heavy it broke the wire hangers and where they attach on the pot. Sooooo........I put pot and all in a heavy wire basket that has good sized chains on it. Could almost skid a log with it. LOL I have said I am NOT putting it in a larger pot. Blooms like a fool come April. Just wish the yellow bloomed like the red; that one puts them out all year, a few here and there.

Here are my pink and red ones.

Those are beautiful Anna! Thank you for sharing!

Nice Anna_Z!! Looks like you have yours in a greenhouse. Right?? I want one sooooooo bad. I have about 60 plants in the house. I need a Greenhouse.

Anna you also have EE's in background mine are as big as yours in the house!!! But I have to shower mine twice a week to keep them from getting spider mites!! Nice Pix

Anna, those are absolutely gorgeous. I can't wait for all my cuttings to grow to blooming size. Wish it didn't take so long. ; )

Patience, grasshopper............LOL

Yes, I have a greenhouse. A large greenhouse. 30x64. I love the alo's.......they are so cool. I keep a large pot of them by my kitchen door in the summertime. I call them my "man-eaters" that protect me from unwanted salespeople.

Anna_Z Where did you get your greenhouse. I want one

juliep............mine used to be our sow breeding/gestation building. WE made half of it into a greenhouse in 2002. Spousal Unit has machinery in the other half. So, if I ever have the need, we could finish off the rest of the building. I overwinter large tropical plants for other people. My original goal was to have enough plants for clients that they would pay my LP bill and I could, essentially, keep my plants in there for free. I do pretty good that way, but still not really making any money at it.

I really wanted it for myself because my home is a jungle. I have a problem with spider mites and if I had a greenhouse I would have circulating air. I try to turn on fans in my house, but it is cold here. It makes the house too cold. Thanks!!