Cutting Epiphyllum oxypetalum
Epiphyllum popularly called orchid cactus.
Light: bright area, without direct sun
Water: during the growth period (spring - autumn) keep the soil moist. During the winter, watering is rare until the new growths appear.
Humidity: moderate 40-50%
Temperature: average 18-24 ° C. To generate flower buds, the plant needs 8-10 weeks of cool days of 16-18 ° C during the day and 7-13 ° C at night.
Fertilizer: every 2 weeks from the beginning of spring until autumn, using a fertilizer with a high phosphorus content.
The cutting you order is freshly harvested and represents a section of a leaf - it can be a tip of a leaf, middle of a leaf, etc... Epiphyllum takes root very easily, if you follow a few simple steps:
1. After receiving, you will have to keep the cutting in a cool, dry and dark place for at least 8-10 days. This interval will allow a proper scarring of the tissue (callus formation). Optionally, at this stage you can apply different rooting preparations.
2. When planting, choose a pot with a maximum diameter of 10 cm - these plants grow well in relatively small pots, compared to the size of the plant. When adding the substrate, make sure that the cutting has at least two areoles (areas where thorns, buds and/or flowers appear) on the surface. DO NOT compress the substrate and do not water for approximately two weeks. If you notice that the cutting is excessively dehydrated, you can spray it every 2-3 days.
3. After the cutting has started to develop roots and possibly new growth, you can start watering. From this point, do not let the substrate become completely dry. After each watering, make sure that the water has completely drained from the pot and never soak it in saucers or decorative pots. If the atmospheric humidity is low, you can spray the plant periodically (not excessively!).
Attention - these instructions are meant to guide you and do not guarantee the success of propagation/rooting. The whole process depends on the microclimate, materials, tools used and human factors.
The cuttings are harvested from mature plants, which may be quite old, therefore they may have scarred leaves or other aesthetic deficiencies.
Cutting size: approx. 8-10 cm