The Orchid Cactus (epiphyllum) is one of the most beautiful plants you could bring into your home or garden. It is a cactus that blooms flowers of bright and vibrant colors found in the jungles of Mexico, Central, and South America. These flowers live on the surface of other plants without taking away nutrients from their host plants, but rather taking nutrients from the environment.
There are more than 13,000 types of Orchid Cacti known to the world. For the past century, botanists have been trying to create more and more varieties of hybrid Orchid Cacti to create the many colorful blooms now available. It takes three generations of the same plant blooming the same flower before a new variety is registered and named. The flowers grow off of the end of a branch of the cactus, and they are extremely beautiful.
The Orchid Cactus is also very easy to grow. If this sounds complicated, it is not as complicated to grow as you might think. You can bring the Orchid Cactus into your home even if you do not live in a jungle as long as you follow certain guidelines.
Order the cuttings from an online supplier like junglecactus.com. When the cutting arrives, let it dry for one to two weeks in a cool place. Do this unless the cutting comes with roots growing from the bottom, and in this case go ahead and plant the cactus immediately.
Plant the Orchid Cactus cutting in a four inch container about one and a half inches deep into the soil. The soil should be one third perlite, one third potting soil, and one third small tree bark. If you order from junglecactus, then the pot and soil will be provided in the kit that comes with your cuttings. Do not water the plant for the first week, and then water sparingly for the first few times you water after that. Once you begin watering the plant, do not let the plant dry out completely, but make sure that the plant drains properly to prevent rot.
In November and December, the Orchid Cactus plants go dormant and will not bloom. When they are not in bloom, the Orchid Cactus plants like to have their branches hosed down, but when they are in bloom you should be careful not to water the blooms because this may damage them.
Keep the plant in semi-shade conditions, and avoid direct sunlight in the afternoon. Good ventilation is ideal for the Orchid Cactus.
Fertilizing the plant in the first nine months should be enough because there are so many nutrients in the potting mixture. After the first nine months, fertilize the Orchid Cactus once a month using a balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10, but during November use 0-10-0 and in December and January, do not fertilize. After the plant has bloomed, then use 10-10-10 again.
It may take one to three years to get your Orchid Cactus plant to bloom, but the wait is worth it because these beautiful plants are awe-inspiring. Because these plants easily produce seedpods, they can easily be found for a very small amount of money. You can grow a garden of these beautiful Orchid Cacti with a little time and a little attention that can grow in your indoor or outdoor garden (if your climate permits) with relative ease.
