Thanks Gigi and Nancy.

I'm not so tech talented!

I don't know how I will get pics when they open at night.
I may have to get pics at first light!

I thought of moving pot under porch light. Looks like clay pot has crack.
I decided not to disturb mama while she is displaying her fancy flowers!

Look! Look!

Doesn't it look like bud is full and about to open?

That's what I thought when I saw it in the dark shadows!

Came in to see if I can get phone camera to take nite pics

I may not have night mode.

So I went back out thinking I need to bring large pot under porch light.

When I got close to the bud with flashlight I couldn't believe what I saw!;
The bud is not ready to open!

That's a perfectly camouflaged green lizard hugging green bud.

This picture is only 1 I got!

Using imagination.
On R, hanging down slightly may be like a sepal of the bud.
On top of that is the lizards mouth, head, body rounded on the bud, and tail hanging on L.

Now that I typed it, it doesn't sound as funny as it looks in the dark. Especially when I thought bud is opening, and it's actually bright green lizard

I see the tail.

You need one of those bright solar lights. Or flash lights.

That lizard!!

Is this Epiphyllum strictum?

Hey y'all!

Ursula, I need to Google it!

I don't think buds open tonight

Look what I saw this am!

Lil green lizard had sleep over with the Cereus bud & frond.
Looking closely, you can see how tail camouflages with "frond", especially leaf spine!


It wasn't happy I disturbed sleep! It jumped to leaves of
Birds of Paradise!

Awww that's a cute lizard

https://www.gardenclinic.com.a...

Ursula, here is info I googled!
This site shows fancy flowers and lovely leaves!
This site talks about how to make plant cuttings!

The leaves of my plant seem thicker with deeper notches!
Maybe because it stays outside!

Mine was a "pass along" plant so I don't know exact name!

I read that "epi" strictum? you mentioned is a hybrid.
It's cousin is "epi" oxy..... They are mentioned in article!

In my younger days, I worked the night shift!

Now I wish I can say I'm like Cinderella!
When clock strikes MN it's "lights out"!

Epiphyllum strictum is a species, not a hybrid. It is also known as Epiphyllum hookeri.

I don't think your plant is Epiphyllum oxypetalum, the leaves are different. But surely, once your buds are open it will be clear what exactly you have.

https://iaeme.com/MasterAdmin/...

@Ursula

Ursula, you sent me on another google search!

I found one link I liked since it has pretty flower pictures,
it also has too many pop ups!

Then I found this more technical site,
which gives info about the epiphyllum plants,
especially how they can be used in medicine!

Now you have intrigued me to learn more!

Here's a pic of my plant.
After trial run of night pics that are dark, I moved plant. I hope I get better night pics if I can put it under porch lights.

My plant has been neglected,
Left to it's own growing habits.

I have various potted plants in front of garage where they live in winter, and now all year!
During winter freeze, I cover them with canvas painting tarp.

I'm lucky this cactus survived!

I read the Cereus blooms better when root bound. On the right side of pot, on ground, you can see mass of roots from pot.

Interesting that the plant has dirt in the pot. The roots were growing in damp leaf litter (mulch!) that collected under pot!

Hope the pic posted this time!

You can see it's neglected,
Oak saplings growing in pot!
Roots growing out of pot!

I guess it feels at home!

I will have to think what I will do with it after blooming!

Divide and repot?

Does anyone have experience dividing plant or making cuttings of epiphyllum?

PS: That is a bud growing up in the top of the photo.
There are 2 on the "pendulous" frond on bottom right.
The other 2 buds are on the fronds on left, out of picture.
The buds are growing!

Thanks for reminding me to look at my day blooming Epi hybrid.

Tomorrow, or the next, 4 buds.

Pieces take root very easily. You can cut anywhere and stick in soil. It's safest to let the wound dry and seal at least overnight, but often I don't do that and haven't had any problems with rotting.

There are a bunch of these epiphytic cacti. If one is happy @ your house, it's likely so many of the others would too. This pot has about 6 different kinds, from various genera, some Epiphyllum and some others.

You can also put a trellis tie it up and let it grow upright the falling down. This way you will have more blooms next time.

Hi Yall!

all for sharing info, stories, and pictures!

I started seeing resemblances between the Cereus and
Thanksgiving and Christmas "cacti"!

They are all epiphytes!

I learned that the piece of the leaf or frond as I called it,
is called "phylloclades", from the term used for the
holiday, Thanksgiving and Christmas, cacti!

https://ipm.missouri.edu/MEG/2....

I also googled Cereus to be sure I am using the term correctly
It says the name Cereus covers a broad category of the night blooming epiphyllum.
Here is more info about Cereus.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.c...

Yours might be day blooming then and as soon as you think they are day blooming, they will open at night!

@sallyg, I hope you post pics of your flowers!
I hope it's not too late since flowers don't last long!

My buds are growing,
the "stem" of the bud is growing longer.
Buds still seem to be tightly closed!

This is why flower is such a secret!

TT, in the future, ignore that "gardeningknowhow" site. It's not genuine, and often inaccurate.

.edu sites are much better sources of info, and there is a plant database on this site. This is a search for the plants that share the nickname "night blooming Cereus."
https://garden.org/plants/sear...

Not all of them are in the genus Cereus. Your plant looks like an Epiphyllum. It could be this one:
Hooker's Orchid Cactus (Epiphyllum hookeri)
Or not. There are a lot of different ones:
https://garden.org/plants/sear...

for info.

I'm sure the educational and non-profit and government sites are best!

As Ursula said (I think it's Ursula's idea)
I may have better idea of my plant after seeing the blooms!

It's taking it's sweet time for buds to bloom!

Well, that prolongs the suspense!

Then when they open, it will all be over!

Also, I don't know if mine will grow on a trellis.
I don't see thinner twining stems.

Maybe I can train the branches along a trellis?
or find a smaller trellis to put in the pot?

Yes, totally agree. ; ) Blooms should lead to an ID. Just approaching some possibilities so you'll know what to compare to when those gorgeous blooms open.

The natural habit of these types of plants is to hang down, usually, but sometimes straight-up pieces appear, and you can "corral" the stems with a round support, or weave manually through a trellis. Sometimes they're in a hanging pot.



They can get really big