Night-blooming Epiphyllum oxypetallum and other jungle cacti
Ideal low maintenance plants for small spaces
A plant with snakehood-like stems: The plant has a flat leaflike stem with microscopic hair-like leaves at the stem notches. It grows shapelessly, trailing from hanging pots or upright in all directions. The new stems appear and expand like a snake’s hood.
If you had the above plant, an Epiphyllum oxypetalum, your friends might wonder why you are growing such an ordinary-looking one. However, this jungle cactus comes into its own a few times a year in the rain when it flowers.
Imagine a flower bud growing rapidly into a spectacular white fragrant bloom!
That is Epiphyllum oxypetalum.
It bears multiple flowers, which open late in the evening and stay open for the next few hours, exuding a heady scent that, in its native habitat, attracts pollinating insects.
Current jungle cactus blooming season: The southwest monsoon that lasts till September has ended in India. Among the phenomena that gardeners await during those rains is the flowering of the Epiphyllum oxypetalum or Brahmakamal, as gardeners call it in India.
Last week, I heard from two Mumbai gardeners how their Epiphyllum oxypetalum had flowered.
One gardener shared a picture of a drooping flower bud expanding rapidly to check whether it would bloom that night! She had felt the bud would open the next day, but it opened the same night and stayed open for a few hours, spreading its heady fragrance.
The cactus genus Epiphyllum and its rain-blooms: Cacti of the genus Epiphyllum are jungle cacti, native to Central and South America. They are epiphytes that grow on other plants, like rainforest trees. Gardeners grow Epiphyllum cacti for their beautiful white, orange, pink, red, purple and yellow flowers.
I have always found Epiphyllum cacti flowers during the rainy season in India and wondered how the plant could perceive rain. As the plant needs water for flowering, rains may induce flowering.
Epiphyllum cacti do not perceive rain directly but flower in response to longer days and higher humidity that you find in the rainy season.
Highlights of Epiphyllum cacti flowering: Here are some other highlights of this cactus’ flowering:
Epiphyllum cacti can flower many times a year, though they mainly flower in the rain.
Epiphyllum cacti flowers are large and showy, reaching 12 inches in diameter.
Epiphyllum cacti flowers are fragrant with a strong and sweet or more subtle and delicate odour.
Epiphyllum cacti flowers are typically open for only a few hours or days, though some species have flowers lasting up to a week.
The ideal choice for low-maintenance gardening: Epiphyllum cacti are relatively easy to care for as they grow well in bright, indirect light and well-draining soil. As they are atypical cacti, they prefer less light but more humidity – hence, they are ideal plants for places like bathrooms.
As they grow slowly and need less care, they are ideal plants for indoor or outdoor corners where they grow up to twelve feet high unobtrusively.
You must water Epiphyllum cacti regularly, but being succulent, they do not like it if their roots are constantly in water.
As they are a slow-growing succulent, you can fertilize Epiphyllum cacti during the growing season with a balanced fertilizer.
Epiphyllum cacti are a beautiful and unique addition to any garden that is relatively easy to care for, and they produce stunning flowers a few times annually.
Getting your Epiphyllum to bloom: If you want your Epiphyllum cactus to flower:
Make sure your plant is getting bright, indirect light.
Water your plant regularly, but don’t overwater it.
Fertilize your plant during the growing season with a balanced fertilizer.
Grow your plant in a humid environment by misting it regularly or placing it on a pebble tray filled with water.
The ideal low-maintenance gardener’s choice: The Epiphyllum genus is a good choice for gardeners wanting a low-maintenance plant that flowers spectacularly. It may take a few years for an Epiphyllum to flower on a rainy night, but the long wait is worth it for the spectacular fragrant bloom of a few hours. While not flowering, an Epiphyllum imparts greenery to corners and small spaces it easily fits in.