Wikimedia Commons
Cactaceae
Orchid Cactus
Epiphyllum oxypetalum
Fleeting beauty and rare perfection.
- Family
- Cactaceae
- Genus
- Epiphyllum
- Native to
- Mexico, Central America, South America
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Type
- epiphytic cactus
- Height
- 6-10 ft (trailing)
- Sunlight
- bright indirect light
- Soil
- rich, well-drained, orchid-type mix
- Water
- moderate; keep evenly moist during growing season
- Hardiness
- 10-11
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- Known as 'queen of the night,' its enormous fragrant flowers open after dark and wilt by dawn — each bloom lasts only one night.
- The flowers can reach up to 12 inches across and emit a sweet, intoxicating vanilla-like fragrance.
- In Chinese culture it is called 'tan hua yi xian' (the flower that blooms briefly) and symbolizes fleeting beauty.
- Despite being a cactus, it grows in tropical forests as an epiphyte, clinging to tree branches rather than desert sand.
- Devoted growers hold 'bloom parties,' staying up all night to watch and celebrate the rare one-night flowering.
Color meanings
0
transient beauty
1
seize the moment
2
rare opportunities