An ATP member is trying to garner interest to see if a specific forum for Epiphyllum (Orchid Cactus) is warranted. If anyone else grows these beauties and would like to have an Epiphyllum forum on ATP, please post your interest over here:
The thread "New Plant forum for Epiphyllums" in Site Talk forum

Thanks!

I have about 7 of them, and would like to see more of them here, but I don't know if there would be enough traffic for a separate forum. They are pretty seasonal in most areas. Couldn't we just have a thread for them in Tropicals,like we do for Broms? Mine have bloomed poorly this year, and are done now, so I couldn't start one.

I have one or two (if you count Dragon Fruit as an Epiphyllum) but both of them are in a little too much shade right now to bloom.

One was a very small cutting of "Physical Graffitti" about a foot long by 1/2in. thick two years ago. It is now 3ft up the side of one of my oak trees, but a long way from reaching into the sun just yet.

Eppi's are a favorite here...they are difficult though. I' m aware my 2 dragon fruits...one with a white flesh and one with a red flesh...might never flower here for me..the three big night blooming cereus bloom nicely

I don't have a preference for creating this forum or not, but had some thoughts about trying to manifest/maintain one.

There is often confusion between Epiphyllum and epiphyte. Then there's confusion about the common name night-blooming Cereus, often attached to E. oxypetalum, and has a lengthy article on Wikipedia, detailing the cadre of diff plants that wear this moniker.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

It might be difficult to name or briefly define the focus of such a forum in a way that everyone understands its' focus (who doesn't necessarily spend hours per week delving into taxonomy.) Even for those who do, the ID of even the genus of many of these plants remains a mystery for yrs sometimes unless/until they end up blooming. The common name orchid cactus is used to refer to other plants besides Epiphyllums, and there are many plants out there that are hybrids between an Epiphyllum & plants from other genera.

(Dragonfruit is a diff genus, and there's another Wiki article about the plants referred to by that name.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... )

If created, I'd try to participate as much as possible, though these plants haven't generated much fodder for convo for me. After about 3 yrs, still waiting for E. oxypetalum to bloom, and may or may not have other Epiphyllums. Waiting for blooms to discover what some shared pieces might be. An Epiphyllum forum would be unique to ATP.

Well put, purple! Maybe yours isn't getting enough sun? As you can see they do seem to like quite a bit of sun. I never see mine open because I would break my neck trying to get to it in the dark.

TY. IDK, I'm usually the one sunburning everything... but didn't get that result. Much appreciate the suggestion. Is it able to stay out all year where you are? Love that it's trellised!

Yes, it stays out. It does have a block wall and a lemon tree above for winter protection, but we seldom get any frost here, and I have neighbors who have theirs fully exposed with no harm done. Both have a SW exposure. The leaves look terrible, but the darn things bloom like crazy.

I grow the night bloomers as well and never see the blooms since they bloom many hours after I have retired for the day. The Hybrid Epi's I grow bloom during the day and the blooms last for several days. I have reds, corals, yellows, oranges and pink, others that are blends of these colors.

I would like a separate forum.

Larry

This is one of my noid hybrids.

Sun?! I was told it was a part shade plant. Maybe THAT's why mine never has bloomed in 3 years. I'm moving it!!

Part shade is a relative term...

Yes...I have mine in full sun...but I ease them into it with three weeks under a sheet or my 40% shade cloth.. Then they just have to contend with vines over growing hem throughout the summer...this is three of them grown in two containers....pictured behind the American Dream Catcher.....( the round frames ) one flowered a few days ago and will again tonight or tomorrow one picture is from the other side of the fence.. When my first one was young."no flowers...then as it aged...winter or summer..if I went away on vacation...I'd come back to a wilted flower...now that it is older...it still blooms winter and summer..but there is a parade of them... On and off quite regularly..

Tonight. A new flower opening....

Beautiful, Gordon!

ctcarol said:Part shade is a relative term...

I Agree! I moved mine to where it got some afternoon sun and ruined the leaves. They looked so bad, that I cut it way back and am basically starting over. I have it under a covered patio and I think I'll leave it there until it seems big even to at least think about blooming.

My epis are in part sun/part shade. They do like the sun, but in our very dry area, got to really step up watering here, just too dry. Thankfully my garden gets a lot of shade during the hottest time of the day, so it helps them endure. But have to water them frequently in summer, helps those leaves from drying out too much. I only get blooms in Spring so pretty much they are just in leaf growing mode and resting when our temps sizzle to triple digits.

Just my thoughts on sun and shade. Morning sun and afternoon shade almost always works on most plants.

Thats a wonderful bloom Gordon, great close up pics.
Some of my Epis are on an East facing deck and get sun until about 11am. We have had more sun than usual this year and they are doing fine but normally we live in a cloudy rainforest environment.
These plants come from the tropical forests of South America I believe so they would get canopy shade and humidity. Full sun in a dry environment is probably not good.
I'm learning that air flow around the plants is important. They don't like being packed too close together. My hanging pots are doing much better than the bench plants.
Lets hope Dave is watching and considering an Epi Forum. There is a thread over in the Cactus and Succulent Forum that getting some support. So add the two together and I think it would work.

Hi, new here and I have a question. I've grown orchids for countless years, but I'm relatively new to growing epiphyllums and the terminology. Can someone *please* explain to me exactly what the heck is a 'noid'? The only noid I'm familiar with was the old Dominos Pizza mascot, The Noid...and I'm certain that this is not what you are referring to. Thank you.