Any one have this Orchid Cactus ?

I am also looking forward to the big day.
As this is my first time experience with this 'Crab Legs like Cacti.
I really have no idea how much longer it might take.

Yesterday I went and took more Pictures of the Parent Plant.

Originally it was a nice small Garden bed Plant.
When the Owner died and tenants moved in, it went feral.
It covers an area of 30 feet long by 10 ft wide.
Lots of Lantana is mixed into the group.

Another Picture showing more than 180 Flower buds.

I'm moving to Australia! Never dreamed of an epie with 180 buds. bob

You will be made most welcome here Bob.

Don't get me wrong now Bob.
I can't get to the base any more but I think there is more than one Root, maybe not.

You have something to look forward to when they all Flower.
I have counted 75+ in this one 5 ft wide section.

Well these wonderful looking Fruit just got the better of my curiosity.
I decided to pick one and dissect it with a very sharp knife.

Sorry folks but I can still only add one Picture at a time.





This message was edited Feb 17, 2012 12:06 AM

You can see the results for yourself in this Picture.
I wonder if ANYONE is prepared to give their opinion of the contents ?
Thanks in advance to those of you prepared to venture an opinion.

kell.

Bob, get a group rate!!! I'm going too!!!

Today I saw the first signs of the actual Flower bud Getting fatter and beginning to show white in the petal area.
So I am guessing the time is nigh.
I also cut the second seed pod/fruit in half.

Close up of seeds.

Went for my usual 10 k walk this morning.
I was surprised to find the parent plant had produced over 30 Flowers over night.
So I went back with My Canon and got these all but too late Pictures of the limp Flowers.
The Flowers were already closed.
Mine will Flower tonight.

Another Picture closer up.
Can you see how many Flower spikes yet to bloom ?

Just setting up the Epi for some close up family portraits tonight.
I'm using one of my Paintings as a back drop.

Looks like I'll be be pulling an all nighter. ;o)

A wider shot.

Well I didn't have to wait very long.
At about 7pm it all went into fourth gear.

Another 20 minutes and I had this.

It was at this stage I decided to drive up to the parent plant.
They were a good hour ahead of mine inside The Studio.

I never dreamt it would look so GOOD. ^_^

I never lealised how close the House really was.
But I had warned them of my intention to take Pictures with a Flash Unit.

This is less than ¼ of the Flowers yet to come.

Now we know that your cuttings are Strictum.
This is a true epiphyllum. and is found all through the tropics. I truly love the bloom on this night bloomer.

Thanks Bob.

I will still finish posting the rest of last nights Pictures.

I found a marone background was giving a better contrast.

And another angle.

This is how I set it up.

Giving away secrets here.

From the other side.

CloseUp of the pollen.

I was reading this while waiting to take more Pictures.

WOW!!!! Absolutely amazing to see sooo many blooms at once, and the chronicle of the progress of your cutting was quite interesting to see. Did the cutting in water ever bloom, or did it loose the final bud as well?

Hi Cem9165,

I'm not exactly sure what happened to that bloom.
Ít is deformed and all the polen inside has turned brown.

I will take a Picture right now and add it in a few minutes. ^_^

Thanks for your interest Cem.

kell.

Thank you for sharing your plant and cuttings.

Here it is Cem.

And a close up of the dead pollen.

Kell thanks for sharing these pictures of the failed bloom. We can all learn from the experience of others. I've only ever rooted in soil, this is my second year growing epies, so hopefully I'll be lucky enough to see some blooms this year. Annette

I would very much like to see some pictures of your successes Annette.
I never saw one single bug on any of the Flowers all night ?

I could not believe how long the pollen things were.

Just before sunrise the Studio bloom took a sudden nose dive.
I could not believe how quickly it curled up and expired.

Just minutes later.

And this was snapped just as the Sun rose.

Are you going to save your pollen? Here are my plants grown from cuttings, and a few of my schlums. They're all hanging out in the basement till it warms up, and they'll get booted back outside.

Oops!!! We crossed posts, LOL.