AGAIN!!!! Seeking information on Ric-Rac cactus.

HI, Y'All,

I asked for help on this last year, but never got any explanation from anyone WHY the stems of this Cactus just randomly decide to get skinny and "woody" and grow these ugly, dry-looking air-roots for NO reason???? It can be growing along with the normal, green ric-rac leaves and then--the tip just starts growing skinny and making all these roots. SOMEONE must have an explanation!!!

I take them outside for the summer where they grow well, but will also do the same thing. Inside, i can see how the lower light may cause this, but it seems so random. Years and years ago, when I got the original cutting from an old lady, it was a 4" piece of this skinny "leaf". However, from the skinny will grow the regular leaf, and a regular leaf will also produce some wide, some skinny.

Here's a picture of most of the plant.

Here's another one.

And--the last one. See how the growth just changes???? WHY???

Gitagal,

I've never owned one of these but this thread go me interested so I did some research on it and found out that these roots are normal.

It's funny to me that this came up today since epiphytic is the word of my day, lol! I had to look it up about another cactus.

It's been an educational day. :)

Looks normal to me, the skinny leaves are probably the new growth that needs more light. Fatter growth comes when there is plenty of light, so that is why is can be both ways, also have you fertilized it lately, they need to eat too. The plant like to be crowded, but it still need food to do well, I just give them fresh soil and clean them up once a year. I put them back in the same size pot. I will start to fertilize/water them regularly during the warm months. Norma

Thanks, Jessie,

I coppied outt he link to the Epyphite Cactus. Some good information in there!

Here's a picture of this hanging basket from last Summer outside. I now have 2 baskets of it and am rooting some leaf sections. Sometiomes when i have to move it, one of the fronds will break off. I just cut it up in 3-4" pieces, air dry them for a couple of days, and stick them in small pots. I cover them with a loose baggie held up by popsicle sticks, and pretty much ignore them. They are sitting on my windowsill in med. light.

Even though I have had this for about 10 years, it has never bloomed. May need to feed it something................Gitagal

It's a beauty. Does it need more light to flower? What about a reg. fertilizer program during the summer months? I use the product called Bloom made by Liquidnox. One tablespoon per gal. after you water the plant. I know very little about these plants, all of my rhipsalis are in flower now. I have them hanging on the north facing wall. This species just may take longer to flower, I think they like their roots crowded. Norma

Oh wow Gitagal. That is so neat to be able to do that with them, make new plants I mean. Maybe I should check into getting one of these beauties. I have always liked them because they are so unusual. That is one of the reasons that I love the succulents and cacti. They are so unigue and unusual and I like that. I hope yours will flower for you some day.

JesseK

Norma,

You may not remember, but you were the one who also aswerewd me last year. Maybe I need to feed it more. You know how it is with succulents.........just b/c they can go a long while w/o water, I also tend to ignore their other needs. Not sure if I would use a bloom booster on a succulent. HHHMMMM..............

As far as light goes, once it is outside, it gets filtered good light and late PM sun. Like when it is starting to set. I can move it into full sun! Not sure if it will like it? Yours id blooming probably cause you live in CA. Does it stay outside all year? May need that!

The plant on the picture is in a 8" clay bulb pan. It is quite possible that it dries out too much.
The mystery still remains about those skinny leaves!!!! They already start growing that way long b/f I bring it inside for the winter. The whole texture is different!!! They are hard and woody in appearance. Frankly, I hate them!!! I shouyld cut all of them off and only keep the green, wider leaves. I caould root all the "skinnies" as that is how I started. I would have plenty to share!

Jessie!
In all my 20 yeards of working in Garden centers and Greenhouses, I had NEVER seen this plant until this old lady brought it in to show me. From her description, we all (att he store) thought it may be an Orchid cactus. They look similar, but it was not. She had it in an old HB and it was all skinny and scrawny. Me and another girl that worked there talked her out of one of the "leaves". We cut it in half and shared it. That was 20 some years ago. I DO remember that it took about 2 years b/f it started to grow. But it did!!!

So! That is the story of my Ric-Rac Cactus aka "Cryptocereus anthonyanus".

Here's another shot from the same time. This one REALLY shows how the ends just start growing skinny--all of a sudden, and it had plenty of light!!!

Gita

*****Correction!!!!! ******

That was 10 years ago--NOT 20!!!! Sorry!

Hi Gitagal, I have Selenicereus anthonyanus and Epiphyllum anguliger, both Ric-Rac type cacti, and they both have a little of the air roots. My theory is that the soil is too dry, and the air roots are produced to take in more moisture and nutrients. If you keep yours more moist and feed during the growing season, you may see less roots. It also may need the natural reduction in light in the winter and the subsequent increase in light in the spring to signal it to bloom. I am just starting out with epi's so I haven't had mine bloom yet, but it is my understanding that Selenicereus anthonyanus is a little more difficult to get to bloom than some of the other Selenicereus plants. Here's a good link: http://www.ecology.org/orchids/index5.html#selenicereus It says "Extra light in the early spring will stimulate flowers." This is Epiphyllum anguliger which it says doesn't need winter chill to bloom: http://www.ecology.org/orchids/index5.html#anguliger

By the way, when you go to the links that I attached above, check out Epiphyllum chrysocardium. I can't really tell for sure, but perhaps you have E. chrysocardium and not. S. anythonyanus.

Here's my E. chrysocardium:

Last year I sent many pieces out to be rooted. I have since found that they have a lovely white flower. Mine are far to young to flower. I now a good collection of Rhipsalis, no Epi at this time, they just take up to much room. I started out 40 years ago with 60 hybrids of these lovely orchid plants, and gave them all away when I got sick. Now I am into so many other species, it's hard for me to keep up with the weeds and watering.
I hope you get the responses that you want. I do have some written material for you if I could only copy it off. Last year I sent out a page of instructions for the species. Norma

Claire!!!

Good to chat with you on THIS site! I know we have exchanged Q&A on the "other site". How is Joe?

Thank you for all your Hyperlinks! WHERE DO YOU GET ALL THIS STUFF???? I put it in my Favorites. GOD!! The list in there is getting SO long!!!

Looking at the pictures, I am sure I have an "Anthonyanus" b/c the tips of the "leaves" are rounded. The tips on the "Anguiliger" are more ponted. Do you have an "Anthonyanus" in your collection??? Maybe you should send me an e-mail......HHHMMM?????

I admit that I have been too negligent in the feeding and watering of this plant! Mea Culpa!!!! This season, when I put it outside, i will treat it more like one of my other HB's of houseplants and attend to it properly! Right now, I cannot do a lot, as we are still in the throes of winter. It will have to live in it's semi-dormant state inside my house in so-so light. It has ALWAYS survived OK! Thank you for sharing all your knowlege!!!

I love this aspect of Daves Garden!!!! Everything at my fingertips!!!

Thanks, Gita

Hi Gita! It's good to see you here too. Who is Joe? There is another Clare over at GW. Could you be thinking of her?

LOL, yes, I think you're right that you do have S. anthonyanus. I do have it also, but it is just a small rooted cutting and hasn't bloomed yet.

Yes, I think, if your plant has more water and some nice fresh soil to grow in, it will produce less air roots next year.

I love that Tropical Treasures web site. It is awesome! Glad I could help:-)

Claire,

Mea Culpa!!!! YES! I was thinking of TNGreenthumb (Joe) the "Brug Expert" on GW. He has a sister Claire.

We are freezing our buns off here right now! It is wicked!!! Going to 18 degrees in the next few nights. Just 3 or 4 days ago we had 62 degrees here. It is a crazy climate to live in!!! We are all used to it!

What really bugs me is the people who just CANNOT wait for the right date to plant annuals outside and rush the season by almost a month. Our official frost free date here is May 10th, but one can be pretty sure that if you start planting things at the very end of April, you will "probably" be OK! Just b/c the big stores get all kinds of annuals in in April, already, doesn't mean you can plant Marigolds, Geraniums, and the like, outside at that time! BUT!!!! They all keep spending their money and buying all these annuals---I just look at them and think what fools they are!!! I guess at that time of year, we are all starved for color!!!

I have "lived and learned" and patience, truly, is a virtue in this instance!

Happy Spring to you! Do you have Seasons? I always think of CA as a hot, sunny place--all the time! Like Florida! Then, CA is long and spans a lot of zones, I imagine. Where are you in this scenario???

Keep in touch! Thanks again for all your contributions! Gita

Happy spring to you too!

We do have seasons here, but they are not nearly as pronounced as most other places. The turning of the leaves indicate fall, and the spring bulbs flowering indicate spring, but winter and summer usually come unannounced. I am in Southern California about 10 miles from the beach in an ideal Zone 10. I've lived here in Southern California nearly all my life, but I'm not taking the beautiful weather for granted now that I'm a gardener. There are areas here in California which get freezing temperatures and below. People put their plants out too early here too. It's a gamble, I suppose, but I tend to err on the side of caution. My plants are way too expensive to gamble with.

You keep in touch too. It's nice chatting with you. I can't wait to see blooms on that S. anthonyanus of yours.

Now you have enough information to write a book for all of us to use. LOL Norma

YEAH! RIGHT!!!!!

"Just published"!!!! An all enclusive book on Succulents, by GITAgal. Now available in your local book stores in a 10 page pamphlet form--selling for $1. Get them while they last!!!! Only 99 copies printed!

You snooze----You lose!!!! Teeeeee.......Heeeeeeeeeeeee.....

BUMP!!!!!

OOOOH, I just found you!!! I have so many questions!!!

I have a rickrack about 4 years old, growing up the trunk of a palm tree. Accidentally I severed its' link to the ground but it is still climbing higher!!! I see photos of blooms but this has NEVER ever bloomed for me, while my other epis bloom constantly. Norma, thank goodness you are there!!! Can anyone help.

Carol

How about this thread
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/530690/

tell her again to get overhere...

huh, banana peels....I'm going to try it!

Hi All,

Before this thread disappears in the sunset, would anyone else like to have a rooted cutting (just for postage) of my RickRack (Fishbone) cactus? I have 4 that are 2 years old and a several that were taken this Spring. The latter are still small, but all are rooted.

My Moma plant is now HUGE! I have a second one approaching BIG, and all these cuttings. I am trying to minimize the amount of pots I will have to take inside for the winter.

If you are interested, send me a D-Mail, please. Gita

Below are pictures from this Summer of the cuttings. The ones in back are the older ones. The ones in the saucer are the newer ones. All are now a tad bigger, as this was taken a couple of months ago.

Here's the Mama hanging from my pole. She is really heavy and BIG!!!

i certainly would for postage.. lmk.? i really like weird plants.. Twyla

This is both interesting and educational.I think I have the plain ric-rac,mine doesn't have the points on them,they are rounded.Jody

Hi All!

Gita, do you have any more cuttings? Would love to swap you a cutting of my Red. We have been real wet here this summer and I have had a lot of snail damage on my Epies. Seems they like the same plants I like. Well There are a lot less of the crawly little guys today than yesterday.

I have two potted up that look about the size of yours.

I have really gotten into Hoyas this year with cold weather comming on I need to make room in the greenhouse for all of the new additions.

Betty

Jody.,
.
Mine do not have the points either. That is a different variety--I think. My Rick-Racks are rounder and NOT opposite each other. they really look like the rick-rack ribbon you buy at fabric stores.

Someone posted Rick rack with the ponted "leaves". That did not look like mine at all!

Gita

Gita:
Got my cutting - THANKS! Postage sent. I'll take good care of your baby!!
Betsy =0)

I like the idea of banana peels...but since I severed it at the bottom...where do I throw them....? Put em in a blender and spray them on, maybe. LOL.