How to grow Epiphyllum? A detailed guide to cultivation methods
Epiphyllum is a perennial evergreen epiphytic plant of the Cactaceae family, with a wide variety of flower colors. It is deeply loved for its delicate, graceful bearing, brilliant colors and rich fragrance. It is mainly grown as a potted ornamental, and in greenhouses a mix of varieties is often used to enhance the ornamental effect. Below, the editor will introduce the cultivation methods for Epiphyllum!
Growth habits of Epiphyllum
Epiphyllum prefers a warm, humid environment, avoids direct sunlight, tolerates drought, tolerates partial shade, fears rain, and requires fertile, loose, well-drained neutral or slightly acidic sandy loam. The optimum temperature during the growing period is 20-25°C, the optimum temperature for flower bud differentiation is between 10-15°C, the winter temperature must not be lower than 5°C, and the flowering period is April.
Epiphyllum should be planted in loose, fertile, well-drained soil, and it likes fertilizer; during the growing period it should be fertilized more so that it can bloom on time and produce beautiful flowers. It is suited to a warm, humid environment; do not let the balcony expose it to direct sunlight; it tolerates drought and fears rain. Although it likes humidity, the soil for growing Epiphyllum should still be kept on the drier side, otherwise it will cause root rot.
Propagation methods for Epiphyllum
1. Cutting propagation: best done between March and April each year. First cut a 10 cm long healthy flat stem as a cutting; after cutting, let it dry for 2-3 days, then insert it into moist sandy soil or vermiculite, with the depth at 1/3 of the cutting. Keep the temperature at 10-15°C and spray water on it frequently. Generally it will root in about one month and can then be potted.
2. Grafting propagation: best carried out at 25°C. The rootstock can be a cactus. Use a knife to cut a wedge-shaped opening in the rootstock, then take a 6-8 cm long healthy Epiphyllum stem segment as the scion, cut one slice on each side of the scion to expose the stem pith and make it wedge-shaped, then insert it into the split in the rootstock, tie it firmly with hemp fiber, and place it in a shady place for care. After about 10 days, the grafted part will have healed; remove the hemp fiber and carry out normal care.
3. Division propagation: old perennial plants often produce clusters of branches at the lower part, which can also be propagated by division.
Cultivation methods for Epiphyllum
In summer, when the weather is hot and the sunlight is strong, it should be placed under a shade shed to avoid direct sunlight, and water should often be sprayed around the pot to increase air humidity. Before frost in winter, it should be moved indoors; when the temperature is above 5°C it can overwinter safely. In March, move the plant to a place with ample sunlight and keep the temperature at 10-15°C to promote flower bud differentiation. When the flower buds form, if they are too dense, thin them appropriately. The potting soil can be made from garden soil + sand + organic fertilizer. As the plant grows, repot and change the soil every spring and autumn to promote rapid growth, and set up supports to prevent the branch tips from breaking, while also helping ventilation and light penetration and keeping the plant shape attractive.
Epiphyllum tolerates drought, so the potting soil should not be too wet. From March to April, during the flower bud formation period, it should be watered and fertilized more; apply a topdressing of phosphorus fertilizer once to help it accumulate nutrients, produce more buds and bloom more, but the potting soil should not be too wet. From May to July is exactly the flowering season; at this time it should be watered less and not fertilized, generally watering thoroughly once a week is enough. After the flowers fade, the potting soil is best kept slightly dry. After being moved indoors in winter, watering should follow the principle of "water thoroughly only when completely dry", otherwise it is prone to rot.
Epiphyllum likes fertile, loose, well-drained slightly acidic leaf-mold soil (a pH of 5-6 is most suitable); sticky heavy soil conditions make it prone to root rot. In winter it requires relatively dry soil, but generally speaking, Epiphyllum is mostly grown in pots, and the cutting method can be used. In early spring, in March or April, cut off a section of the Epiphyllum stem as a cutting, then insert the bottom one third into prepared thin muddy sand, spray a little water appropriately every day, and after about one continuous month it will have rooted. The grafting method can also be used; the grafting method for Epiphyllum is generally cleft grafting. First choose a cactus with good growth as the rootstock, then make a cut in it, and insert the Epiphyllum stem strip into the cut, preferably firmly, then tie the joint with a wet cloth strip, and after the joint slowly heals, the wet cloth strip can be untied.
The good growth of Epiphyllum cannot be separated from routine care. Epiphyllum is a plant that likes light but is not cold-tolerant, so it should normally be given plenty of sunlight. However, note that although it likes light, it fears being scorched, so shading work in summer is still necessary. If the Epiphyllum you grow only produces leaves and does not bloom, then it is very likely caused by insufficient sunlight.
During the growing period of Epiphyllum, fertilizer and water care must be done properly. On average, apply liquid fertilizer or thin fertilizer once every half month. If you find that the plant has already budded, take the opportunity to apply phosphorus fertilizer once to encourage Epiphyllum to bloom larger and more brilliantly. When fertilizing, note that if the fertilizer and water are too abundant, many small lateral buds will grow on the stems. At this time, do not be reluctant; the earlier these lateral buds are removed, the better, otherwise they easily rob nutrients from the main flowering stems, and after the lateral buds grow larger they also affect the overall appearance. After fertilizing, remember to water; fertilizer diluted by water is more conducive to absorption by the roots and stems. Normally, watering so that the soil is half dry and half wet is enough, to avoid waterlogging and root rot. When the weather is dry, you can separately spray some water on the stems of Epiphyllum; in winter, water and fertilizer can be omitted.
In addition, the best growing temperature for Epiphyllum is 15°C; being a little lower or a little higher is not a big problem, but if it is too high or too low, it will affect its growth. Either many abnormal stems grow, or the buds are frozen to death, so the temperature should also be controlled as much as possible. Finally, if Epiphyllum is grown indoors, indoor air circulation must also be ensured.
Four-season care for Epiphyllum
1. Spring: during the growing season of Epiphyllum, pay attention to sufficient light and timely fertilization. Apply a fertilizer combining nitrogen and phosphorus once every 10-15 days to promote healthy growth of flowers and leaves. Avoid water accumulation in the pot to prevent root rot. Starting in April, flower buds grow at the edges of the upper fleshy leaf segments and gradually swell, then bloom fully half a month later. If at this time the plant lacks nutrients and its growth is weak, it will not bloom or will bloom less. To prevent this phenomenon, apply 1-2 extra doses of quick-acting phosphorus fertilizer in advance. At the same time, remove excessive lateral buds and branch buds at the base.
2. Summer: during the period of vigorous growth, apply 1-2 topdressings mainly of nitrogen in a timely manner. This not only promotes the growth of new branches and leaves, but also helps produce more buds and more flowers next spring. If you want to increase the number of stem segments, you must seize this favorable period to keep buds. In the high heat of midsummer, Epiphyllum enters a semi-dormant period and should be placed in a ventilated, cool, semi-shaded place; stop fertilizing, do not water too much, and keep the potting soil slightly dry, preventing excessive shade so as to avoid leggy growth that affects flowering.
3. Autumn: this is the second vigorous growth period of the year. New leaves gradually age and mature. The management and care methods are basically the same as in spring and early summer from May to June. Apply 2-3 topdressings, mainly phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. Also increase the light duration.
4. Winter: after frost, the weather turns cold, and it needs to be moved indoors for warmth. It can be placed in a sunny spot indoors, and the room temperature should be kept at 8°C. Stop fertilizing and restrict watering; it is best for the potting soil to be on the dry side, as too much moisture will cause leaf wilting, lodging and root rot. From mid-March to early April after spring, as the temperature rises, gradually extend the time for opening windows for ventilation and hardening, laying the foundation for later moving outdoors for care.