Culture methods of epiphyllum

Hello, everyone. Today we talk about the cultivation of epiphyllum. The idiom "flash in the pan" takes advantage of the short flowering time. To describe things that appear soon and disappear instantly. Epiphyllum flowers bloom large and beautiful, do not bloom during the day, do not bloom until after eight or nine o'clock in the evening, usually spend 3-4 hours to thank, because the time of epiphyllum blossom is very short, thank soon after blooming, so it is called "flash in the pan".

As to why epiphyllum blossoms for only a few hours at night, it is generally believed that it should be understood from the climatic conditions of its origin. Epiphyllum is native to the Mexican desert in tropical America, where the climate is both dry and hot. After long-term adaptation to natural conditions, epiphyllum is not afraid of drought. Epiphyllum leaves degenerated into very small needles to reduce water transpiration, high temperature during the day, large water evaporation, can not get enough water to open flowers, and so on in the evening when the temperature is lower and evaporation is less, to get enough water to blossom.

What on earth is epiphyllum?

Epiphyllum belongs to cactus family, epiphyllum perennial succulent plant, up to five meters high, old stem cylindrical rod-shaped, the rest into a flat leaf, internodes are very long, 15 to 40 cm long, 6 cm wide margin undulate, green; old stem Lignification, branches divergent into feathers; the whole plant is smooth, hairless and thorny. Flowers bloom from May to November every year, the flowers are solitary in the concave and convex parts of the leafy stems, and the buds are not branched if there are buds. Flowers bloom at night, white and elegant, fragrant to the nostrils. The base of the kaleidoscope is brownish and still hangs on the mother plant for several days after withering. Sepals numerous, finely linear, flowers numerous, long spatulate. Stamens are also numerous, stigma much lobed.

Epiphyllum is native to the Americas, Brazil and Mexico, and is now cultivated all over the world. Introduced to Taiwan by the Dutch in the mid-17th century, it is now widely cultivated in all parts of the province, with almost every courtyard visible in the countryside and often planted in the courtyards or balconies of urban residents. It is best to use leaf branches to grow in half-day environment, and the survival rate is almost 100%. Even children can raise seedlings and reproduce. The young buds of epiphyllum are pendulous and bend upward before blooming, about six in the evening. It opens slowly at seven o'clock and is in full bloom around the time, because its opening time is very short, it will wither for a few hours and will wither away the inherent "flash in the pan" theory. Pick the withered flowers and put them in shredded meat soup after a little bit, and it becomes sweet. A slimy delicacy. As epiphyllum has the characteristics of several or even dozens of flowers blooming on the same day, it must be picked and dried in storage, so as not to destroy natural things. Habits: perennial succulent plants, mostly cultivated as flowering plants, bloom from May to November every year, flowers open at night, open for a short time, a few hours and wither inherent "flash in the pan" theory. It is easy to survive if it is propagated by the method of thousand cuttings.

Family culture methods of epiphyllum

1. Selection and use of soil: epiphyllum likes humus-rich, well-drained, loose and fertile slightly acidic sandy soil. The proportion of basin soil is generally as follows: rotten leaf soil, ∶ garden soil, ∶ sand soil = 4 ∶ 4 ∶ 2. After the soil is ready, it is best to be sterilized in the sun. When planting, put a layer of broken tiles or bricks at the bottom of the basin to increase ventilation and drainage.

2. the principles that should be mastered in watering: epiphyllum likes moist soil and higher air humidity, and is afraid of waterlogging. When the temperature is low in late autumn, winter and early spring, epiphyllum is in a semi-dormant state. Watering should be strictly controlled to keep the basin soil in a dry state. When the temperature rises in spring, epiphyllum begins to grow again, which can gradually increase the amount of water and keep the soil moist. When growing vigorously, in addition to watering, water should also be sprinkled around the plant to increase air humidity and strengthen ventilation.

4. the method of fertilization: epiphyllum prefers fertilizer and has more requirements for fertilizer. It is better to use rotten organic fertilizer, plus a small amount of bone meal or superphosphate. Add it when preparing the soil and mix it with the basin soil evenly. The application amount is from 20 to 30 of the basin soil. After the new stem grows in spring, topdressing begins. If the leaves turn yellow during the growth period, the ferrous sulfate solution should be applied once, and 1000 times potassium dihydrogen phosphate should be applied once after the flower bud. After the flower withered, additional phosphorus and potash fertilizer should be applied every 20 days or so, and fertilization should be stopped at the end of autumn.

5. The propagation method of epiphyllum: cutting with flake branches can be cut all the year round in the greenhouse, but the cutting from April to May is the best. Cuttings should be selected for the next year slightly old and robust flake branches (too tender and perishable), cut into 10 cm to 15 cm a section, dry for 2 to 3 days, after the cut is dry, the cutting matrix or sand, the insertion depth is about 1x3 of the cuttings (not too deep), if the soil is moist, do not water temporarily, and then control the soil in a slightly moist and dry state. It begins to root in about 20 days. When the root grows to 4 cm to 5 cm, it can be planted in a pot, properly managed, and 2-year-old seedlings can also bloom.

6. the method of changing the basin: the young plants of epiphyllum change the basin once a year, and the forming plants generally change the basin once every 2 to 3 years. The basin change can be carried out when the spring temperature is above 12 ℃, or in September. Before changing the basin should stop watering, so that the basin soil dry after the basin, off the basin should be handled gently, to avoid touching the plant. After removing the pot, remove the old soil outside the root, trim the dead root and cut the root, put it in a semi-shady place after planting, do not water it temporarily, and water it slightly after 2 days to keep the basin soil dry.

Daily nursing methods of epiphyllum

1. Plants more than three years old should be tied and fixed, otherwise they are easy to lodge.

2. Keep plenty of light during flowering.

3. Epiphyllum is not resistant to cold. Epiphyllum should be moved indoors in winter, and the temperature had better be kept above 5 ℃ to prevent frostbite.

Culture method of epiphyllum in four seasons

If epiphyllum is well maintained, it can blossom 4 to 5 times in the rainy season in summer and autumn, but pay attention to the following four problems.

1. If you move out of the room in spring, you can turn the basin and change the soil once. It is appropriate to use a basin that is slightly larger than 1 cm to 2 cm. If it is too large, it is often too wet, and if it is too small, the development of the root is limited. If there is an injury to the root, it should be removed. The wound can at least be coated with charcoal powder or sulfur powder and then planted after being dried. After turning the basin, it should be placed in the sunny place, and the organic fertilizer with the combination of nitrogen and phosphorus should be applied once every half a month to promote the formation of new branches and leaves.

2. The three months of July, August and September in summer and autumn are the key times of the year to watch flowers. Special attention should be paid to maintenance and strengthening fertilizer and water management. After the first flower fade in June, the fertilizer combined with nitrogen and phosphorus is applied every half a month or so, so that it can still blossom once a month in the next three months. at the same time, the basin soil is generally dry, and stagnant water should be removed immediately after rain. Fertilizers should use fully fermented and mature organic fertilizers.

3. At noon in the midsummer season, it is necessary to prevent the scorching sun from direct exposure, otherwise the leaves will turn yellow and affect growth and flowering.

4. After Frosts Descent, you need to move it indoors and put it in the sunny window. Prevent freezing and keep warm, stop fertilizing. At this time, the basin soil is dry and too moist, which will often cause the leaves to droop and even rot the roots, and the drier it is, the more cold-resistant it will be.

Common problems in epiphyllum culture

1. Can I have direct sunlight? What's the right temperature?

Too much sunlight will make the stems of epiphyllum yellow or even burn, but if there is not enough light, epiphyllum will not blossom. Avoid direct sunlight around noon in summer. There is nothing wrong with the high temperature, low temperatures in winter are prone to frostbite, and it is generally fine below zero.

2. How to insert epiphyllum?

If you cut a luxuriant branch from the old epiphyllum, it is best to soak it in water. If it is a branch about a foot long, the soaked part is about ten centimeters. About half a month later, the soaked part gave birth to small roots, and then the small roots gradually increased, about five centimeters can be moved to the basin to plant, it is easy to survive. It can blossom in about two months in summer and autumn.