Ripsalis lepismium cruciforme
(This plant comes in a 3.5" pot. You will receive a very similar plant to the one in the picture. It may or may not be blooming at the time of your purchase. The plant is shipped in its pot to prevent any damage to the roots).
Cultivation and propagation: Lepismium cruciforme is among the easiest to cultivate epiphytic cacti and tolerates neglect. These forest cacti tend to be long lived. This cactus is olive green under ideal growing conditions but blushes magenta when stressed. Give it more heat or cold, less water or fewer nutrients, and you'll get that beautiful hue.
Exposure: This plant prefers dappled shade.
Hardiness: Lepismium cruciforme is not frost-hardy and won't tolerate desert heat, but it thrives in coastal gardens. It needs night-time temperatures no cooler than 5° C, especially in the winter. In summer it need warm but not hot temperatures, preferably under 27° C.
Uses: Grow lepismium in a flat-backed pot against a light-colored wall to show off the plant's striking color and spider-like explosion of scalloped leaves. Or use it as a cascading element of a potted composition with other succulents. These forest cacti tend to be long lived.
These plants bloom profusely if grown in an even high temperature.
Some of the information in this description has been found at desert-tropicals.com, llifle.com and cactus-art.biz
Blooming Season | Late winter/early spring |
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Common Name | Hurricane Cactus |
Dormancy | Winter |
Family | Cactaceae |
Flower | Pale pink |
Frost Tolerance | 4 ° c |
Growth Rate | - |
Hardiness Zone | 10a to 11b |
Height | . (15-30 Cm) |
Origin | Brazil |
Pot Size | 3.5" |
Scientific Name | Rhipsalis lepismium cruciforme |
Shape | Pencil thin |
Sun Exposure | Partial shade |