Unusual cactus epiphyllum. Description of its species and varieties - Akkerman, Oxypetalum and others

Here are three main reasons why cacti are loved: they are unpretentious in leaving, it is rare to water them, and flowers have extraordinary beauty. Epiphyllum, exported from American forests, has gained a strong position in the list of favorite home plants.

It not only delights the eye, but also has delicious fruits, and is also able to cure a number of diseases. In the article you will get acquainted with its varieties and their photos.

Popular species and varieties of Epiphyllum - their names with photos

Ackerman (Ackermanii)

The variety is a bush with flat multi-toothed stems growing down. There are no thorns on them, and buds appear from cones covered with numerous hairs. The length of the leaves is 30-45 cm. Its bright red flowers, resembling lotuses, bloom on thin stems and look very impressive. In leaving is undemanding.

Dreamland

The second name is orchid cactus. On its flat green stem there are no leaves and thorns, and the flowers have a pink-orange hue and bloom at any time of the day. Flowering is most often observed in the spring and summer months. This cactus is used not only for decoration of rooms, but also for treatment.

Its juice has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, heals wounds on the skin, stops blood, strengthens and tones the whole body. The pulp is used to treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, heart, joints, genitourinary system and even a hangover. It helps to speed up recovery after surgery and restore strength. Florists say that Dreamland prevents the effects of electrical radiation on humans.

For good growth, the plant needs to allocate a well-lit place, moderate watering and pruning regularly (every 3-4 years).

Fish Bone Cactus

Its flat stems are about a meter long and 15 cm wide. The teeth go all over the sheet, their average length is 4.5 cm, width is 1.5. Flowers of the forest plant Fish bone raspberry, with a white-yellow center, 13-15 centimeters in diameter.

White

The group of white epiphyllums includes several species: keen, Hooker, angular.

Red

Red flowers are mainly found in wild species: anguliger and ackerman.

Pink

This species was first introduced to Europe in the 19th century. The plant has wavy shoots that are cylindrical at the base and flat along the edges. Their length is 25-30 cm, width is 2.5-3 cm. A lot of grayish hairs and setae grow in areas. The flower tube is covered with scales, flowers of a greenish or cream shade, spread a strong aroma. Diameter - 10-12 cm. The buds open in the daytime, which is atypical for non-hybrid epiphyllums.

Guatemalan (Phyllanthus var. Guatemalense)

This cactus has an unusual appearance: its stems are drooping, long, strongly twisted, resembling oak leaves connected to each other. The length of one link is 4-5 cm. This variety blooms willingly and abundantly, flowers are nocturnal, on a long tube, snow-white. Cactus gives a lot of fruits, does not require additional pollination.

Yellow

Its round woody stems are covered with frequent notches. Their length usually does not exceed a meter. The leaves are flat, gray-green, reach a width of 10 cm, and a length of 1 meter. The surface is covered with small bristles. The flowers are pale yellow, bloom at night and last up to 7 days. Spread a delicate aroma.

Marniera

This cactus throws very large (up to 25 cm) flowers, with a strong and pleasant smell. It grows sprawling, its stems are very long, and the leaves are wide. Many botanists believe that the marnier is erroneously attributed to the genus epiphyllum, but in fact it belongs to the genus Selenicereus.

Oxypetalum (Oxypetalum)

The second name is sour. Cactus can grow up to 3 meters in height. The stems are rod-shaped, long, dense from below. Their width reaches 10 cm, large notches are located on the edges. The leaves are wavy, flat, bright green, reaching a width of 10 cm. The flowers are white, very fragrant, up to 20 cm in diameter. Tubular whisk 20 cm long, 18 wide. The fruits are colored red. It is this epiphyllum that has the largest number of hybrids.

Anguliger

Epiphyllum Anguliger is a bushy plant with dark green lodging stems. They are lanceolate, flat, with deep indentations on the sides and strongly branched. Escape width - 8 cm, length - up to a meter. The lower part is round or trihedral. There are practically no thorns on the plant, bristly small villi grow on the areas. Diameter of flowers - 10-15 cm. Petals are snow-white or bright red, spreading a delicate aroma.

Serrated (Crenatum)

Consists of fleshy flat stems of green color with a bluish tint. Their width is 10 cm, their length is 70 cm. The leaves have relief notches along the edges. There are no needles on areoles. The flowers are tubular, large, with a diameter of 15-17 cm. The color is milky, pink or yellow. Flowering - only at night.

Lau (Laui)

This is an epiphytic, as well as lithophytic, fast-growing cactus. The width of its lateral shoots is 5-7 cm, the diameter is 1-2 cm. The flowers have up to 5 hairy needles of brown or yellow color, reaching a length of 3-5 mm. The buds open at dusk and wither after 2-3 days. The color of the petals is red, but sometimes there are white-yellow samples.

Hooker (Hookeri)

The stems of this cactus are stiff and arc-shaped. Drooping are rare. Their diameter is 10-13 centimeters. Areoles are located at a distance of 5-7 cm from each other. The flowers are large, white with a yellowish tinge on the edges.

A plant that has already started buds should not be purchased. It is likely that they will fall off when moving, and their areoles will not be able to bloom in the next couple of years.

Care Features

• A large amount of light is a prerequisite for the rapid growth and abundant flowering of the epiphyllum. But it should not be direct, but scattered sunlight. In spring and summer, the cactus can be taken outside and put in shade for the whole day.
• Suitable temperature range: from November to February - 10-15 degrees, from March to October - from 20 to 25.
• For irrigation, purified and soft water of room temperature is used. In spring and summer, the cactus is watered abundantly after the top layer of the earth dries. In the winter months, a period of rest is arranged for the epiphyllum. If the cactus is rearranged in a cold room - it should not be watered at all.
• To feed the grower, you should buy fertilizer for cacti. As a supplement, you can use mullein diluted in water (1: 4). This top dressing is best used during the formation of buds, but you can continue to make it into the soil until the end of the summer period (2 times a month).
• The acidity of the soil should be equal to pH5-6. You can make the mixture with your own hands by mixing sheet soil with fibrous-sod, crushed charcoal and coarse sand (in a ratio of 1: 4: 1: 1).
• Transplantation is carried out after flowering ends. The pot is selected porous, shallow and wide.

All the details of caring for this beautiful exotic plant can be found in a separate article.

Similar flowers

Epiphyllum has similarities with:

1. Decembrist.
2. Echinocereus.
3. Aporocactus.
4. Selenicereus.
5. Milkweed.

Conclusion

Epifillum is cultivated and cultivated by both amateurs and professional flower growers around the world. Following the rules of cultivation, the owner can always boast to the guests the beauty of his epiphyllum, its size and fragrant flowers. Bet you already have that desire?

Watch the video: Epiphyllum Plant virus and what it looks like (May 2024).