Rhipsalis grandiflora

It's definitely heading toward Spring and flowers are beginning to pop out all over the place. This rhipsalis has a "grand" name but it's grand only in comparison to another rhipsalis - not in comparison to other cacti. However, they offer a nice counterpoint to the more extravagant flowers of some of the other plants. Enjoy your plants!

Lepismium cruciforme

A wonderful tropical cactus (from Argentina, Brazil & Paraguay) that should get more attention than it does. During the growing season, the plant gets a beautiful purple color that's very striking, and the stems can eventually grow to four feet in length. Though endangered in it's natural habitat, it's easy to grow and - after danger of frost is gone - makes a great hanging plant for patio.

Rhipsalis grandiflora

Rhipsalis grandiflora doesn't really have huge flowers, but they're very nice, especially as we're coming out of the winter doldrums.

Rhipsalis neves-armondii

We've had this old Rhipsalis neves-armondii for longer than either of us can remember. It came through the fire in 1003 and continues to produce these neat little flowers at times when not much else is happening. This rhipsalis is from Brazil (Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina, São Paulo), and like most epiphytes (and geophytes), it likes a moist substrate that also provides good drainage. Give less water in the Winter and keep free of frost.

An Imposter among the Rhipsalis stems

Hanging down among all the Rhipsalis branches are a couple of stray "Twiggy"s (Cynanchum marnierianum). Hanging baskets aren't our "thing", but they take over the "first impressions" in the greenhouses at this time of year.

Lepismium cruciforme

I almost overlooked this flower today. We have 2 or 3 hanging baskets of Lepismium cruciforme, and this one is hanging under a tree in fairly dense shade so it's easy to miss. It's always been one of my favorite rhipsalis type plants, especially with the extensive purple on the hanging stems. It's natural habitat is in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.

Rhipsalis grandiflora

We're still getting a few cold nights, but Spring is definitely here! Here's some daffodils from our front yard with a hanging basket of Rhipsalis grandiflora in the background.

And then some closer pictures of the Rhipsalis. This hangs in our kitchen window.

 

 

Thanks to Lynn-Marie for today's photos.

Enjoy your plants!

Rhipsalis teres f. capilliformis

It's been a while since I've posted any Rhipsalis, partly I just haven't kept up with the all the name changes and will most likely come up with the wrong name.  We have a couple of old plants of this species, which we always knew as Rhipsalis capilliformis. My understanding is that it's now correctly referred to as R. teres f. capilliformis. We first saw one in the Conservatory at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco while on our honeymoon in 1967. We fell in love with it and have been growing them ever since.

 

Rhipsalis species?

We're haven't really kept up to date on our Rhipsalis and Lepismium taxonomy so any help in naming this would be appreciated. I'll be posting a few we have and asking for your help. If you can attach the correct genus and species to the plant, you win the prize...my grateful appreciation! ... What? You expected more?

There's more to come in the days ahead.