but is it an Epi? It was a gift and the next day the flower opened. It looked like an epi flower to me, but so many cactus flowers have been opening I just assumed it was a cactus flower. Any thoughts? Thanks. Xuling
Cactus Forum say this isn't a cactus flower. . .
flower view
the body
Try Aporophyllum. It's just my modest guess. I'm not an expert by any means though.
Will look into this. Thanks. Xuling
Try this one: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/248162/
This IS a cactus flower, because Epiphyllum is another genus of cacti. I don't think anyone on the C&S forum said it wasn't a cactus flower.
Always catching me in a lie!! I do that alot. Just trying to get results. And you are right, no one on the C&S forum said it wasn't a cactus flower. In fact no one on the C&S forum said anything!! Or did I just lie again? I will blame it on my upbringing. Xuling
You do NOT lie! You were just having CRS or a brain freeze. LOL!!
Those in the C&S forum said a lot, but not much that was helpful in ID'ing this plant. And I'm no more helpful than they were, darn it. I thought for sure the people here would be able to help you.
Does it matter when it has such a beautiful flower?
You have an Aporophyllum. Known more as a Ratail Cactus.Its groth habit and flowering is very similer to Epis.
There are many colors to choose from this plant. It will, with the right care, get quite large and give a lot of blooms.
Greg
Definitely an aporocactus. I have around 12 and they are very similar to the epis in growth and care. They are very pendulous and spiky and bloom around the same time as epis. Flowers can be smallish or quite large. These are some of mine under shadecloth
They grow a lot quicker from cuttings than epis . Not as well known as epis .
They definitely belong to the cactus family. Here is one of mine from last season. You will want more when you see the colors , believe me. This is Sussex Pink.
Thank you so much. I would have never guessed what it was. And coincidentally I have it sitting under the olive tree next to my Epi. I bring the Epi into my house during the winter. Should I bring the Aporophyllum into the house also? How about watering in the winter if it is in the house?
Xuling
I treat mine the same as my epis. I only have 5 different ones so far, but plan on getting many more. Good luck with yours.
that makes it easier. X
Any sense of how quickly these guys grow (from cutting to bloom). I assume bloom depends on being rootbound -- true? I read somewhere that it took 6-7 years, but it looks like xuling has a fairly young plant that is blooming. I just started some aporo cuttings this summer (Edna Bellamy & Evita) and it'd be great to have some idea of when I should start obsessively watching for blooms. :)
Jan
well good obsessive watching means you should have started weeks ago :) xuling
I have seen some big discussions on root bound vs non root bound and I never know what to think. I have a R. ellipicum cutting forming buds. No way that plant is root bound. I have other plants that are root bound and don't flower. Its in odd mix getting epicactus to bloom. Some times they go nuts, other times just sit there.
I think it sometimes helps to torture them a bit, then give them much better conditions. That's worked for me with my epi's that have bloomed and reliably works with my Rhips. I only have a couple of epis though, so not sure if it would work for a lot of them.
My aporos are at the side of the house just under a piece of shadecloth. They get all the weather , rain or shine and bloom every year . I don't know how old they are because they were part of a huge epi collection I bought back in 2006. Nothing seems to bother them.
I repotted at the time of buying and just put new mix in the same pot then replanted.
This is 'Vivide'.
What a sadistic, fatalistic and incorrigible (you all know who you are) bunch we are today!
Just for the record -- how does one go about torturing an aporo? I'm still learning how not to kill the poor things ...
Jan
This message was edited Jul 23, 2010 7:17 PM
Jan, how do you kill them ? I have aporos growing on the ground from pieces that have fallen off. Any bits of epis that fall off do the same. Sometimes I wish I could kill them as I keep wanting to plant the bits that either fall off or I trim off. How many is too many ????
I can hardly get in and around them all because of long branches wanting to hug me.
Have to show another aporo. This one has no name.
Jean.
Its easy, I finally got ruthless this year, all that trash goes on the compost, no questions asked, I have too many plants.
Wondering how anyone can have too many plants?