It has been a busy week of learning about some of my plants. I talked to a guy today that is the president of the South Bay Epiphyllum Society. Turns out my baby on the top there in the strawberry pot is more than likely a Hylocereus Undatus aka Dragon Fruit, I already thought it was a dragon fruit but it has not produced any fruit yet. I got a piece of this off of a foreclosed house. They were long gone and the plant was without water for so long it was actually dying. I took a piece and that was about 3 1/2 years ago. It will be repotted soon. It has little spikes so I am not really sure when I will tackle that project.
Here are one of my ferns. Isn't it a beauty? I have not figured out what kind it is yet. I will post when I find out.
So this one is from the same family as my Dragon Fruit. No positive Identification but the guy from the South Bay Epiphyllum says it is probably a Epiphyllum Oxypetalum aka Dutchmans Pipe Cactus. A lady gave me a piece of this one and it is doing great.
This one is a freebee from Craigslist. I bought a Vigna Caracalla aka snail vine that I have shown in previous posts. The guy said that the flowers are fragrant but it has not flowered. I have had it for a few years. It needs a better environment. I will find it a spot soon. It is most likely a Epiphyllum Ackermannii aka Orchid Cactus. I am not positive without taking them to be identified but with calling and online research I think I have correct info. I will correct if I find out otherwise.
I got this info below online. Sorry if the color is messed up. It's the info that counts right? :)
Epiphyllum oxypetalum, , or Dutchman's-Pipe Cactus, is a large epiphytic cactus native from Mexico to Brazil. In nature, the plants can reach up to 20 feet (6.1 m) in height. The dark green branches are lanceolate, acuminate to 3 feet (0.9 m) in length and 4-5 inches (10-12 cm) wide and obliquely crenate. It is the most common Epiphyllum in cultivation today. They are very easy to grow and when in bloom they are very showy.
Blooming: In the greenhouse, our plants bloom in late spring to early summer. The nocturnal white flowers are very fragrant and large. Individual flowers can be up to 11 inches (27.9 cm) long and 5 inches (12.7 cm) wide. Flowers open in late evening and close by sunrise.
Culture: Epiphyllum oxypetalum need full sun to partial shade with a moist, well-drained soil mix. In the greenhouse, we a soil mix consisting of 2 parts peat moss to 1 part coarse sand to 1 part small pine bark added to ensure good drainage. The plants are watered on a daily basis and the soil mix is never allowed to dry out thoroughly. We fertilize the plants on a monthly basis with a balanced fertilizer diluted to 1/2 the strength recommended on the label. As the soil mix breaks down, the roots of the plant can suffer from too much water and lack of air around the root mass. It is a very good idea to repot the plants every 2 years to keep the plants healthy. During the winter months in the greenhouse, water is somewhat restricted, but the soil mix is never allowed to dry completely. Fertilizer is withheld during this period.
Propagation: Epiphyllum oxypetalum is propagated by stem cutting, division of larger plants, and from seed when available.
This is one of my seedlings that I picked off a tree while riding my horse a few years ago. Today I finally figured out it's name. While riding one day I saw a young tree about 6 feet tall will no leaves and lots of cotton balls, yes real cotton balls. Not seeds with little fly away tufts, but actual cotton balls. So cool I just had to have one. One of my best friends and her husband have named me the clepto-culturist. I have a strong tendency to pick a piece of any plant that I think I can grow on my own. I have had years of Horticulture experience. Working at Huntington Garden Center in Huntington Beach, Ca and the outdoor garden at Home Depot in Northern Cal for many years.
I have many passions, Animals, Plants, and Cooking. GUNS, CARS lol so anyway I had to have a cotton ball. When I took it off the tree I realized there were seeds in the cotton ball. I know I can grow this I said so I kept the cotton for years. Planted it a couple of weeks ago and here is my new baby. So I had to name my baby right? right... Here you go. my baby is a
Gossypium (gos-SIP-ee-um
herbaceum(her-buh-kee-um)
Common name is Levant Cotton
This is the most info I could find online. I love my young one :)
Levant Cotton (Gossypium Herbaceum) - A very interesting perennial to grow from Gossypium flower seeds with its multi-colored flowers and cotton pods sprinkled all over. Gossypium, or Levant Cotton, is a species of cotton native to the semi-arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa and Arabia where it still grows in the wild as a perennial shrub. It likes a long, hot growing season to produce the best cotton fibers, so it performs well in the southern United States. However, Levant Cotton can be grown with success in cooler areas if grown in a container and moved indoors. It makes for a showy garden plant, and it is fun to watch through all its stages!
Levant Cotton flower seed germinates very easily. In fact, in zone 11 it is considered to be self-sowing, dropping its own cotton seeds and producing more plants. Sow the Gossypium flower seeds indoors in late spring. Use a rich potting mix. Plant 1 - 2 Gossypium flower seeds per plant, covering 1/4 inch with soil. In ideal conditions the flower seed germinates in 7 - 14 days. Water regularly and abundantly keeping it constantly in a sunny location. Replant the Gossypium plant each month to a larger container to help it grow as the root system expands considerably. Young plants are very sensitive to cold.
No comments:
Post a Comment