OH, My GOD!!! It finally bloomed!!!!

The "other" Red Epi bloomed today!!!! It is the most amazing bloom I have ever seen!

I got both my Red Epis from "kachinagirl" (Karen) in CA in 2005. Just leaves...one each.

You all have seen the flowers from my Red Epi (on the Mid Atlantic Forum)
that has now bloomed in the last 3 summers. Just all red, pretty blooms.

The "other one" had NEVER bloomed yet....6 years of waiting!
They both had lived in extremely tight quarters--so last year--I transplanted them both in 10" HB's.
I think this really helped! They grew well and made many new fronds.

In mid-June--I posted pictures of potentially developing buds on the Epi that had never bloomed.
The blush in the veins...the tiny red pips which were buds-to-be...Promises of a miracle!

These tiny buds took A WHOLE MONTH FROM BUD TO BLOOM!!!...WOW!!!
Talk about patience...I took pictures all along to see how these buds developed...

SO! Here--a month later one of the three buds bloomed...HUGE, fuchsia blooms in shades of red and
fuchsia and deep pinks. The bloom was about 6" across...The biggest I have ever seen!!!
Can anyone give me the name of this one????

SO! TADAAAHHH! Here is the first picture!
The slowly developing buds...making this long "neck" as it grew and grew...

Every day--I would go outside and see the progress of the buds. There are three of them.
I took pictures every week to see the progress...

The buds swelled and swelled--and grew the long "necks" as the bud progressed.

Yesterday--I saw the bud had swollen quite a bit--and the pointed tips of the bud
looked like they were going to open the next day.

SO! Today was the day to celebrate this event....

I will post a couple of pictures. Can anyone give me the name of this Epi??? Please!
Thanks--Gita

Another one---

The one in bloom--and the bud yet to bloom behind it...

Here is the whole plant....and the bloom.

Behind it hangs the other Red Epi that has bloomed for the last 3 summers..
Also spectacular--but the bloom was about half the size of this one...and all red.

Congratulations!!!!!

Thank you for sharing. I just gave away my 3 epis to someone in a warmer climate. I was able to get a couple of blooms from one of them a few years ago, but the problem of over-wintering them is just too challenging here. I am jealous of such beautiful plants.

crowten--

It would be hard to over water these--as the pot is quite pot-bound and, bc of the
weight of the plants--the pot sits tilted.

Last night the second bud opened. There is a third--but that is not ready yet.

Can anyone give me the name of this one?????

Thanks, Gita

Gita, that was over-winter, not over-water :) Part of the issue is that the house gets so dry that I can't keep them safely watered properly, but mostly I have no lit space to keep them growing - they ended up sitting in an unlit basement for 5 months each year.

Mine are also semi-dormant by my so-so light LR window.
Can't really water them too well--it just runs off.....

Perhaps they appreciate a semi-dormant period? Many plants do...

My Brugmansias always go down my cool, dark basement for the winter--
and always do just fine once I bring them out. Just have to watch the lighting...

G.

Gita - they are beautiful! I am a new owner of Epiphylluim... can you tell me what they like? Mine seem to want to droop down as well....

Mary

Mary

I really do not know to tell you. When I first started having these, I was trying to
find out all I could....
I remember that they need to be fertilized with organic type things--eg fish emulsion, etc.

They need to be watered--even though it seems the can live w/o it--like succulents

They need a semi-dormancy during winter months. Much less watering

I know they need to be fairly pot bound before they will bloom. Not a given even then.
Like this one I have--6 years from a leaf--and it just now bloomed...The other one has bloomed the last 3 years.

Please go to the Orchid Cactus Forum and ask your questions and read what other
people are talking about there. They are the experts--not I.

Gita

Gita

Thank you Gita - all that is very helpful ! Good to know about pot bound.... I almost had a bloom it seemed but it fell off... and that was very early...and it was but a 'stick' it seemed...
Thanks .. I'll check some other threads as well...