Epiphyllum crysocardium

  • Thread starter Eric Muehlbauer
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Eric Muehlbauer

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Not an orchid, but still a great bloom. Just opened tonight...these pix were taken just a few minuts ago. The whole downstairs of the house is perfumed now. As you can see, its just about a foot across (my son is holding the ruler) Take care, Eric
 
AWESOME!!

Mine hasn't bloomed yet this year :(
EDIT: Got a pic of the leaves? Not only are the flowers spectacular, but the foliage is the real reason I got one.

Jon
 
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Thanks for all those great posts! Epiphyllum crysocardium is an "orchid " cactus, and I guess it falls into the night blooming cereus type. The blooms (and as far as I know, this applies to all the white flowered epiphyllums) open at night, usually fully open between 10 and midnite, and remain open until dawn. During the day they gradually close up, then wilt. I guess you get about 10-12 hours of prime viewing, its faded within 24 hours. E. crysocardium is HUGE...if the pic of my growing area is still on, you can see the branches draped over all the shelves and hanging loose...if I could spread it out from end to end, it could very well spread beyond 8 feet. Foliage is the type sometimes called "rick-rack" or "herringbone" type...deeply incised, alternate.If the photo from my plant room isn't up anymore, I'll take a new one of the foliage... I'm very attached to this plant. Far too many years ago, when I still had family in Brooklyn, I went to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, a haven of my childhood, teen, and young adult(?) years...to see Frank Bowman, the cactus curator. This is before the glorious renovations, when a scholarly, encyclopedic collection of plants in a compact greenhouse was turned into a spectacular huge crowd pleaser with a very minimal visible collection...(I can't allow myself to get started...its a nice night, relax....)...I think I had brought him some cactus seeds and cuttings...well, he just pulled out his shears and said "What would you like?" Hanging above me, in what looked like a laundry bin for a pot, was an enormous crysocardium , maybe 10 feet across, with the remains of huge flowers hanging from it. He gave me 2 cuttings of that, some Rhipsalis, some Opuntia (ouch!!!!) and I forget what else...what I really wanted was that crysocardium! Its been with me ever since...sets buds every year, most blast, face it...something like this is really a greenhouse plant...but most years I get a bloom or 2...incredibly fragrant. Makes the entire hassle of trying to manage such a monstrosity worthwhile. Take care, Eric
 
OrchidCactusbloom-Epiphyllum-2005-M.jpg


What did they do to Photobucket? I can't get it to work for me. I hope this will come up now.

I had a beautiful red one but I had to throw it out because it completely took over a large window area. I bloomed like clock work every late fall/early winter. It hurt to throw it out because I loved it and it grew and flowered well. Too well. They take a lot of space.

Marilyn
 
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