pink orchid cactus, mail order
this plant is about a yr old
can any tell if these are flower buds
thanks
flower buds or side branches ?
I think what you have is new leaf growth. The buds can usually be easily identified even when they are tiny, either with a magnifying glass or take a digital image and enlarge the image to examine the growth closeup.
Here are some images from past threads showing buds on an Epi oxy and on some hybrids. A general rule of thumb is that if the growth is "flat" it is a new leaf.
Epi oxy:
http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=2332827
Epi hybrids:
http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=1252380
http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=1342275
http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=1360406
Looks like a healthy plant that should give you some flowers in the future......feed it, water it and eventually it will reward you. :-)
They do look like more stems, but the plant appears to be in wonderful health. The red edge on the older stem means the light is just about perfect: plants in low light are all green, plants with too much are less fleshy, have a prominent mid-rib and can have red stems on old growth. Red new growth is normal. Since your plant was a cutting last year, it may not bloom this year, but watch out in 2007. Each of those nice new stems will bloom, and maybe even the old stem too. If by Pink Orchid Cactus you have an E. phyllanthus hybrid, you can't imagine what you will get. The one I have gets smallish pink flowers that look like they had to have been made by an angel. I don't get misty eyed over much, but the pink hybrid with small flowers is worth going to jail for.
Rule of thumb with these plants: stems like your's without spines that have colored flowers open in the day are hybrids. If you don't get a name when you get them, it is almost impossible to be 100% sure of the name afterwards. But most plants don't care what you call them, with care like the one in the pic seems to be getting, they'll bloom their fool heads off.
penn_pete
this was described as 6" pink flower epiphyllum
thanks
Thanks for the photos, i was unsure what the buds looked like as well, and now am excited to watch - i think i may have some!
I am a new epi grower...some of my cuttings are growing roots (or growth that looks like tiny roots) from the top of the leaves. is the plant looking for more moisture, or will these grow into leaves? I'll take a pic soon...
MJ - try posting that as a new thread...that way it doesn't get lost.
As others said, that is new growth and not buds. The flowering season for Epi hybrids has passed now so look for buds again next February. Occasionally, I will get one or two in the fall and winter, but that is rare. My buds started this year in February. Here's a pic of what to look for, folks.
Mj, air roots are normal and usually mean that the plant could use some more water and fertilizer. They will not turn into anything.
This message was edited Aug 29, 2006 10:37 AM
Here is another pic of buds:
Here they are again a little more developed. This pictures was taken on February 15, 2006.
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo helpful clare!! if you wouldn't mind a few more updates in the series, I am trying to keep up and am almost decided that what i thought were buds on my epi are not :( I wish I could take a clear picture but they all seem to come out blurry upclose! I have not had a single bud yet but have over 15 different epis (or some type of orchid cacti)...i am waiting very impatiently!
thanks again!!
Abbie
Glad to help:-) You might have auto focus on your camera to help with the close-up shots. Cuttings take about a year to get established and then usually flower in the second year a little bit, and they will really put on a show in the third year. Good luck!
