Epiphyllum question
 

I need some info on epiphyllums. I've found general culture info but I
would like to hear opinions on the best way to root cuttings and the best
indoor climate for them. I'm thinking of putting them either with my
orchids or in my computer room. Anyone's experiences will be welcome.

I've gotten two larger plants which are about two years old plus several
cuttings and two very small plants which are outside right now.

Also any input on potting media would help. I had thought of using cactus
soil mixed with regular potting soil and maybe some perlite and a bit of
charcoal.

Thanks
Shell

Weeble,

Epiphyllums are very easy to root. There are many successfull methods,
here is mine.
1. allow cuttings to 'cure' for AT LEAST a week. Longer is fine. I've
left cuttings in a cool, shady spot
for three months before rooting with no ill effects.
2. Place cuttings about 1/2 inch deep in COMPLETELY DRY potting mix. Do
not water for at least a week
and when you water use about a tablespoonful per cutting. Excess
moisture will quickly rot the cuttings,
lack of moisture will not harm them a bit. If the humidity is fairly
high, 60% or so, cuttings will root without watering.
3. Keep an eye out for signs of rooting.
- stems begin to look plump
- arial roots begin to develop at the tips of the cuttings
- aerioles begin to develop hairs
- new growth appears
4. Gradually increase watering as new growth appears.
5. Rooting is best at temperatures of 70F or above.

I have used many potting mixes with success. The main requirement is good
drainage. My county has a municipal compost facility which composts leaves
collected in the fall. This stuff is the ultimate medium. It is coarse with
excellent drainage while providing tremendous fertility.
I have also used commercial peat/perlite mixes such as ProMix or Southland
Professional. I have found MiracleGro potting mix to be far inferior to all
others. For rooting cuttings I use a 50/50 peat-perlite/perlite to assure
good drainage.

Epiphyllums need a 30-90 day period of cool, dry dormancy during the
winter to develop flower buds. I keep mine in a mud room that gets down to
30F on the coldest January nights. I doubt that you will get any flowers if
you keep your plants in your computer room during the winter. Your orchids
would be a better choice but if you get no flowers you will have to find a
cooler winter spot.

Hope this helps,
--beeky

Weeble wrote:

I need some info on epiphyllums. I've found general culture info but I
would like to hear opinions on the best way to root cuttings and the best
indoor climate for them. I'm thinking of putting them either with my
orchids or in my computer room. Anyone's experiences will be welcome.

I've gotten two larger plants which are about two years old plus several
cuttings and two very small plants which are outside right now.

Also any input on potting media would help. I had thought of using cactus
soil mixed with regular potting soil and maybe some perlite and a bit of
charcoal.

Thanks
Shell

Thanks for the help :) I've never really tried to root anything before so
this sounds like I should be able to do this with no problems. My garage
sounds like the perfect place, nice and warm and humid with fairly good
light.

My house is usually cod inside, somewhere between meat locker and north
pole. Usually harder to keep things warm than cool. I may give the front
room a try since it gets good filtered light all day.

I appreciate the advice on potting medium very much. Sounds like the finer
stuff in the orchid mix might work mixed with a little peat and perlite

Shell
wrote in message
...
Weeble,

Epiphyllums are very easy to root. There are many successfull
methods,
here is mine.
1. allow cuttings to 'cure' for AT LEAST a week. Longer is fine.
I've
left cuttings in a cool, shady spot
for three months before rooting with no ill effects.
2. Place cuttings about 1/2 inch deep in COMPLETELY DRY potting mix.
Do
not water for at least a week
and when you water use about a tablespoonful per cutting. Excess
moisture will quickly rot the cuttings,
lack of moisture will not harm them a bit. If the humidity is
fairly
high, 60% or so, cuttings will root without watering.
3. Keep an eye out for signs of rooting.
- stems begin to look plump
- arial roots begin to develop at the tips of the cuttings
- aerioles begin to develop hairs
- new growth appears
4. Gradually increase watering as new growth appears.
5. Rooting is best at temperatures of 70F or above.

I have used many potting mixes with success. The main requirement is
good
drainage. My county has a municipal compost facility which composts
leaves
collected in the fall. This stuff is the ultimate medium. It is coarse
with
excellent drainage while providing tremendous fertility.
I have also used commercial peat/perlite mixes such as ProMix or
Southland
Professional. I have found MiracleGro potting mix to be far inferior to
all
others. For rooting cuttings I use a 50/50 peat-perlite/perlite to assure
good drainage.

Epiphyllums need a 30-90 day period of cool, dry dormancy during the
winter to develop flower buds. I keep mine in a mud room that gets down
to
30F on the coldest January nights. I doubt that you will get any flowers
if
you keep your plants in your computer room during the winter. Your
orchids
would be a better choice but if you get no flowers you will have to find a
cooler winter spot.

Hope this helps,
--beeky

Weeble wrote:

I need some info on epiphyllums. I've found general culture info but I
would like to hear opinions on the best way to root cuttings and the
best
indoor climate for them. I'm thinking of putting them either with my
orchids or in my computer room. Anyone's experiences will be welcome.

I've gotten two larger plants which are about two years old plus several
cuttings and two very small plants which are outside right now.

Also any input on potting media would help. I had thought of using
cactus
soil mixed with regular potting soil and maybe some perlite and a bit of
charcoal.

Thanks
Shell

wrote in message
...
snip
Epiphyllums need a 30-90 day period of cool, dry dormancy during the
winter to develop flower buds. I keep mine in a mud room that gets down
to
30F on the coldest January nights. I doubt that you will get any flowers
if
you keep your plants in your computer room during the winter. Your
orchids
would be a better choice but if you get no flowers you will have to find a
cooler winter spot.

Hope this helps,
--beeky

I pretty much agree with everything you said, although I've had good luck
rooting them in ProMix that was kept slightly moist.

I can't agree with the last statement that epis require the type of dormant
period you described to blossom - at least not the ones I've raised for the
last thrity. Mine do just fine next to my wife's orichids. I still have a
beautiful red one that has overwintered and thrived in a sun room for the
past twenty-five years. I keep it slightly drier in the winter than the rest
of the year which is exacty the same way I treat my other house plants. Each
spring I increase water and fertilize. I now live in zone 6 and last spring
had at least twenty blossoms on the plant during April and May. When I lived
in zone 3, the plant rebloomed off and on throughout the summer when kept
outside in the shade, but that is not true here. My guess is that they
require a cool period to set blossoms, which we don't have here - no problem
with MN nights. :) I have noticed that buds develop copiously along the
stem, but most abort once the first flower on a stem opens.

Go ahead and put it in a cool, bright window with the orchids during the
winter. It'll do just fine! :)

John

They are confusing Epiphyllum with Schlumbergera. They are not the same.

The ironic thing about the so-called Epiphyllum hybrids is that most have
absolutely no Epiphyllum genes in their parentage. They are mostly hybrids
between day blooming species of Heliocereus, Nopalxochia, Disocactus and
Aporocactus.


"B & J" wrote in message
...
wrote in message
...
snip
Epiphyllums need a 30-90 day period of cool, dry dormancy during the
winter to develop flower buds. I keep mine in a mud room that gets down
to
30F on the coldest January nights. I doubt that you will get any
flowers
if
you keep your plants in your computer room during the winter. Your
orchids
would be a better choice but if you get no flowers you will have to find
a
cooler winter spot.

Hope this helps,
--beeky

I pretty much agree with everything you said, although I've had good luck
rooting them in ProMix that was kept slightly moist.

I can't agree with the last statement that epis require the type of
dormant
period you described to blossom - at least not the ones I've raised for
the
last thrity. Mine do just fine next to my wife's orichids. I still have a
beautiful red one that has overwintered and thrived in a sun room for the
past twenty-five years. I keep it slightly drier in the winter than the
rest
of the year which is exacty the same way I treat my other house plants.
Each
spring I increase water and fertilize. I now live in zone 6 and last
spring
had at least twenty blossoms on the plant during April and May. When I
lived
in zone 3, the plant rebloomed off and on throughout the summer when kept
outside in the shade, but that is not true here. My guess is that they
require a cool period to set blossoms, which we don't have here - no
problem
with MN nights. :) I have noticed that buds develop copiously along the
stem, but most abort once the first flower on a stem opens.

Go ahead and put it in a cool, bright window with the orchids during the
winter. It'll do just fine! :)

John

I'm in Houston so no problem with humidity or heat :) I plan to keep them
inside even though I've heard they won't bloom indoors. I've also heard
they will bloom too so I figure I have a good chance of having some nice
flowers next spring.

Shell


"J. Davidson" wrote in message
news:zmSUc.6818$73.973@lakeread04...
I used to let my cuttings heal over and then place them in a sandy
rooting
soil. If I remember right, they were easy to propagate. I cut them at a
natural joint. I had them in a lath/gardening area, outside in summer,
took
them inside in the winter. Lived in Texas then.
Eventually I hope to have some again. (moved away from my collection)
Jackie
"Weeble" wrote in message
...
I need some info on epiphyllums. I've found general culture info but I
would like to hear opinions on the best way to root cuttings and the
best
indoor climate for them. I'm thinking of putting them either with my
orchids or in my computer room. Anyone's experiences will be welcome.

I've gotten two larger plants which are about two years old plus several
cuttings and two very small plants which are outside right now.

Also any input on potting media would help. I had thought of using
cactus
soil mixed with regular potting soil and maybe some perlite and a bit of
charcoal.

Thanks
Shell

I shouldn't have any trouble with keeping them cool at night, my house is
usually pretty cold inside. I'm in zone 9 so I'm hoping they thrive

Shell


"B & J" wrote in message
...
wrote in message
...
snip
Epiphyllums need a 30-90 day period of cool, dry dormancy during the
winter to develop flower buds. I keep mine in a mud room that gets down
to
30F on the coldest January nights. I doubt that you will get any
flowers
if
you keep your plants in your computer room during the winter. Your
orchids
would be a better choice but if you get no flowers you will have to find
a
cooler winter spot.

Hope this helps,
--beeky

I pretty much agree with everything you said, although I've had good luck
rooting them in ProMix that was kept slightly moist.

I can't agree with the last statement that epis require the type of
dormant
period you described to blossom - at least not the ones I've raised for
the
last thrity. Mine do just fine next to my wife's orichids. I still have a
beautiful red one that has overwintered and thrived in a sun room for the
past twenty-five years. I keep it slightly drier in the winter than the
rest
of the year which is exacty the same way I treat my other house plants.
Each
spring I increase water and fertilize. I now live in zone 6 and last
spring
had at least twenty blossoms on the plant during April and May. When I
lived
in zone 3, the plant rebloomed off and on throughout the summer when kept
outside in the shade, but that is not true here. My guess is that they
require a cool period to set blossoms, which we don't have here - no
problem
with MN nights. :) I have noticed that buds develop copiously along the
stem, but most abort once the first flower on a stem opens.

Go ahead and put it in a cool, bright window with the orchids during the
winter. It'll do just fine! :)

John

Well, whichever, they're pretty :)

Shell


"Cereus-validus" wrote in message
m...
They are confusing Epiphyllum with Schlumbergera. They are not the same.

The ironic thing about the so-called Epiphyllum hybrids is that most have
absolutely no Epiphyllum genes in their parentage. They are mostly hybrids
between day blooming species of Heliocereus, Nopalxochia, Disocactus and
Aporocactus.


"B & J" wrote in message
...
wrote in message
...
snip
Epiphyllums need a 30-90 day period of cool, dry dormancy during the
winter to develop flower buds. I keep mine in a mud room that gets
down
to
30F on the coldest January nights. I doubt that you will get any
flowers
if
you keep your plants in your computer room during the winter. Your
orchids
would be a better choice but if you get no flowers you will have to
find
a
cooler winter spot.

Hope this helps,
--beeky

I pretty much agree with everything you said, although I've had good
luck
rooting them in ProMix that was kept slightly moist.

I can't agree with the last statement that epis require the type of
dormant
period you described to blossom - at least not the ones I've raised for
the
last thrity. Mine do just fine next to my wife's orichids. I still have
a
beautiful red one that has overwintered and thrived in a sun room for
the
past twenty-five years. I keep it slightly drier in the winter than the
rest
of the year which is exacty the same way I treat my other house plants.
Each
spring I increase water and fertilize. I now live in zone 6 and last
spring
had at least twenty blossoms on the plant during April and May. When I
lived
in zone 3, the plant rebloomed off and on throughout the summer when
kept
outside in the shade, but that is not true here. My guess is that they
require a cool period to set blossoms, which we don't have here - no
problem
with MN nights. :) I have noticed that buds develop copiously along the
stem, but most abort once the first flower on a stem opens.

Go ahead and put it in a cool, bright window with the orchids during the
winter. It'll do just fine! :)

John

I used to let my cuttings heal over and then place them in a sandy rooting
soil. If I remember right, they were easy to propagate. I cut them at a
natural joint. I had them in a lath/gardening area, outside in summer, took
them inside in the winter. Lived in Texas then.
Eventually I hope to have some again. (moved away from my collection)
Jackie
"Weeble" wrote in message
...
I need some info on epiphyllums. I've found general culture info but I
would like to hear opinions on the best way to root cuttings and the best
indoor climate for them. I'm thinking of putting them either with my
orchids or in my computer room. Anyone's experiences will be welcome.

I've gotten two larger plants which are about two years old plus several
cuttings and two very small plants which are outside right now.

Also any input on potting media would help. I had thought of using cactus
soil mixed with regular potting soil and maybe some perlite and a bit of
charcoal.

Thanks
Shell

Shell,

I noticed you did mention "indoor climate". When I first started years
ago, all my epis were indoors. I didn't have the luxury of a yard. I
have been successful with getting them to bloom, but it's a whole
different ballgame growing them outside. The growth of the stems is
much quicker, which will result to having more blooms.

I'm not going to answer how to root cuttings, since most have already
done that here.

But for me, dormant period is important. Aside from just temperature,
it also means, very very little watering, and changes in seasonal
photoperiods. If the room has a light turned on at night.. not a good
thing.

BTW, started a small site for epiphyllum fans last week. You can find
plenty of info there in the FAQ section

plug: http://www.epiforums.com

Happy epi-ing,
Eddie