We were so excited to find our various orchid cacti loaded with buds! However, two almost opened all the way, but the center never opened and Sunday they were drooping. Pot felt dry - could that have caused it? Here is pic of the blooms:
Wondering why they didn't open
Here is picture of the many buds.....
Could have been too dry, or not enough light, or too cold.
Or ... it might be a night bloomer like a lot of Epiphyllum's and maybe you missed the opened flowers?
I have a Selenicereus anthonyanus/"Ric Rac Orchid Cactus" that I've had for many years and found the spent buds but didn't know what they were, just looked like some ugly growths to me, LOL. I posted photo's here on DG and learned that the particular plant is a night bloomer. Last year I didn't miss the blooms! I began watching those buds like a hawk and went out after dark and got some good pic's.
edited to say: Very nice plant by the way!
This message was edited Apr 26, 2011 6:21 PM
plantladylin, Did your Selenicereus partially open like that? The only night bloomer I have is Epi oxy, and I haven't gone out in the middle of the night to see it bloom.
I have Epi. oxypetalum, Epi. hookeri and the Selenicereus ... all night bloomers. The Selenicereus seems to be the slowest to open it's blooms all the way but by late at night the petals are fully extended.
I don't know much at all about Orchid Cactus so maybe the dryness had something to do with the blooms not opening totally on your plant. Have they opened really wide in the past? I thought maybe you just missed the fully opened flowers. Hopefully someone more familiar with Epiphyllum will see this thread and know what's going on.
Do you know the name of your beautiful Epi? I love the color of those blooms.
That's a good question. Have you seen it fully open? It appears to be a mature plant. My Oxy bloomed during the day for the first two years, then reverted to night blooming, but your plant looks to be way older than that.
The plants are my mothers - she and my dad got them started a long time ago - here is pic from previous year - although it seems to be blooming in June. The first one I posted will be way done by June I think. The other three plants all have buds now - just one doesn't show much yet.
I believe it must be the dryness - I checked on them today. My mom can't see well anymore and think they were too hard to reach. My dad kept a detailed journal of his plants - I can't remember if there was info in that book about the orchid cactus or not - will check and post back. Thanks for the comments....
That's a pretty one!