Herself's Houseplants

I’ve just found this prize. It is a fast grower and should fill this basket in no time. One branch broke off and we have it rooting in another pot. To propagate, take a small piece of stem, place it in soil, keep moist until you see new growth.

Flowers will open only at night, for one night, and are very fragrant.

It is an epiphytic plant, you can grow it in soil or in orchid bark, use which ever pleases you. In the wild it grows on trees with aerial roots.

Use bright, but not direct light so an east or west window is best. Keep it somewhat dry like you would an Easter or Christmas cactus but don’t let it dry out as much as a regular cactus.

It can be trained up something rather than allowing it to hang down, but usually it is left to hang.

It never occurred to me to grow a cactus in an office setting. I would think they would need more light. But if you have a bright office you might consider giving it a try.

. . . It’s easy to become a corporate cactus cultivator if you know a bit more about these unique plants. They are all succulents, which are species that contain specialized cells that hold water for a long time. Ordinary plants can’t store water this way and are thus more dependent on consistent groundwater to keep them hydrated. They need extensive root systems to hunt and absorb the water.

Cacti produce rather small, shallow root systems just inches beneath the ground. There they suck up rainwater the moment it falls to earth. This ability to take up moisture faster than ordinary plants is their key to survival in excessively dry climates. It also means that you don’t need a big pot for cactus plant roots.

Succulents are vulnerable to one thing — rot. Once waterborne bacteria or fungus enters these interior tissues, the rot spreads uncontrollably. In the wild, cacti prefer porous gravelly or sandy soils that water passes through quickly. Very little is left in contact with the succulent roots. Success with cacti depends on soil porosity in your pot. Fast or express drainage practically ensures you’ll never overwater this plant. That is, of course, if you don’t let water sit in the saucer for more than five minutes. . .

[ read more Cactus plants can thrive in office setting]

Of course there is the other side who consider cactus to be bad Feng Shui in the office