A flower a day ...

I’ve had this poor neglected plant for X number of years and I’ve always refereed to it as a zig zag cactus
it’s as tough as …you can’t simpy break a piece off it has to be cut …I’ve never seen it flower in the years I’ve had it ,so was quite surprised to see 2 flowers on it .

It will grow up a wall or fence if one allows it to cause it’s got sorta roots on the back of the plant it uses to attach itself like glue .
Ive seen it at an open garden show growing up a bamboo trellis and it covered an area prob about 10x 10 foot

Id think @MarkD would know what it actually is ..
It’s not dragon fruit because it’s flat unlike DF that’s sort if triangular shape ( I had one growing but wasn’t fond of the fruit so I dug it up and gave it away )

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Kadee said:
I’ve had this poor neglected plant for X number of years and I’ve always refereed to it as a zig zag cactus
it’s as tough as …you can’t simpy break a piece off it has to be cut …I’ve never seen it flower in the years I’ve had it ,so was quite surprised to see 2 flowers on it .

It will grow up a wall or fence if one allows it to cause it’s got sorta roots on the back of the plant it uses to attach itself like glue .
Ive seen it at an open garden show growing up a bamboo trellis and it covered an area prob about 10x 10 foot

Id think @MarkD would know what it actually is ..
It’s not dragon fruit because it’s flat unlike DF that’s sort if triangular shape ( I had one growing but wasn’t fond of the fruit so I dug it up and gave it away )

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I’m not really sure. I call most of these epicactus or just epis. But my stepson calls them all dragonfruit whether produce fruit not.i do grow some. Yours looks very healthy and well grown. That is a different flower than I’m used to and I like it.
 
MarkD said:
I’m not really sure. I call most of these epicactus or just epis. But my stepson calls them all dragonfruit whether produce fruit not.i do grow some. Yours looks very healthy and well grown. That is a different flower than I’m used to and I like it.
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I just noticed in the photo it ap to have some sort of fruit behind the flower …of course this photo was taken 3 days ago so the flower would be finished …..I was also told once it was an orchid cactus ….im going outside now to take another photo @MarkD ( it’s daytime here ) 😀
 
MarkD said:
Are they fragrant? I like the foliage too.
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Yes, very fragrant! They were so pure and fresh looking. Just growing at the side of the road in front of somone's house. No idea what the plant was. Quite impressive to see in person though.
 
Paco Dennis said:
@MarkD Have you tried growing the flowers of the pineapple guava? They are an edible flower. You eat the succulent petals that are almost sweet. Not the red stamens.

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I have and have seen it in many many Bay Area gardens. Good picture of the flower!


@Kadee it occurred to me I may have heard it referred to as Rik Rak plant and when I searched for it on Flicker I saw some good pictures of the flowers but only a little of the foliage. I’d like to see one grown as large as the one you saw. But I've also heard at least the epicactus referred to as Orchid Cactus, probably yours too. Hardly authoritative but you might find this blog interesting: Ric Rac Orchid Cactus (Epiphyllum anguliger) by Irene Shonle

https://flic.kr/p/ozF82e


https://flic.kr/p/ekMrHo
 
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Here is another one that is sometimes called an orchid cactus but I know it as Night Blooming Cereus or 'Hooks'. That is what the friend who gave it to me called it when he moved to Washington D.C.

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The bud before it opened-

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I looked it up and 'epiphyllums" are tropical cactus that grow in trees with just accumulated humus for soil. But many colors and varieties have been made by crossing other, larger flowered cactus such as these large flowering cereus, though some also have more color.

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.Here are some of my favorites of the epiphyllums I have grown:

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Tish said:
Jacaranda bloom

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I love walking through its purple carpet, it is so calming to the soul.

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That is a great view of the flowers on the pathway. I've grown it but we don't get much heat in summer and so the blooms were never really worth it for me. But it is hard to miss or not appreciate where it is well grown.
 

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