Topic: Epiphyllum "Dutchman's Pipe"

[duh]

My Epi is 4 years old.  It didn't bloom last year because that was the year it was shipped to me.  But I'm hoping it will bloom this year.  Do you know when I should begin to see it starting to bloom?

[Patty S]

What the heck is an "EPI"?   I Googled it, & all I came up with was,

"Epi" is the central flower in a wheat stalk.

Are you growing wheat?   Seems like it should bloom a couple months after planting!

[Dianna]

Are you talking about epiphyllum, Duh?

[duh]

The common name is Dutchman's Pipe.  sorry for the confusion.  I've heard them called Epi's most of the time.  I'm hoping I have one of the white ones.  But I'd love it no matter what the color.

[Dianna]

According to this site, it is, also, known as Queen of the Night and Night Blooming Cereus. The site, also, says it can bloom any time between mid Spring or early Fall. That is a really neat looking plant...

[duh]

They are pretty aren't they.  If you like after it flowers I'll see if I can get you a leaf cutting.  But right now all of the leaves are very thin.  None have really plumped up yet. 

[Dianna]

after it flowers I'll see if I can get you a leaf cutting.

Thank you, Duh. I would like that. There is no hurry. You have lots going on in your life right now and it can wait until everything settles down for you.

I think they are sort of unusual looking...

[duh]

very.  The plant itself looks like a catus with tenticles that hang down all over the place.  Not exactly pretty but I think the blooms will more than make up for it.  I hope moving it again this year doesn't put it off of blooming again.

When I get a good sized piece I'll send it to you. 

[jv]

Started with one last year has not bloomed but Carolyn said it will . I have now three of them also gave cuttings away. Grows like crazy just has not bloomed yet.

[duh]

i've heard that they have to be 3 years old before they bloom.  Sounds like yours really likes your area.  Mine needs fattening up.  I'm not sure what soil additives will do that for it.  It grows new branches constantly but they are very thin and floppy.

[duh]

Ok I now know that the leaf cuttings root very slowly but very easily.  So I think it would be easiest just to send you some cuttings and let you root them.  it will have to wait until a future pay check though because I keep on running out of money.  Go figure huh?

I've learned what the blooming problem is...they will not bloom if put under artificial light at night.  So they need the seasonal light/dark cycle before they will bloom.  I have moved mine to the craft room that I am never in at night and hopefully that will have them blooming this fall which is suppose to be when this kind blooms.  We'll see what happens.  They also require feeding once a month from March through November. 

I'll have to read up and see if I owe anyone else a cutting.  I had forgotten that I had promised it.

[duh]

Oh, the reason I came over here was to talk about transplanting my little (not so much) plant.  Today it got transplanted.  I had just gotten back from my day in town and since the floor was clean you just know I had to transplant a root bound plant.  So now the floor looks like it did before I mopped it.  "A Woman's Work is never done."  Truer words were never spoken.  Ho hum.

And I took the small round table out of the livingroom and put it on top of the hope chest so the epi has a nice high place to sit on so it can drape to it's hearts content. 

[Dianna]

Glad you got it transplanted, Tammy, and there is no hurry on a cutting. I had forgotten about it, myself...