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Does anyone know anything about this plant? I have conflicting types… | Anything about plants | Planta community

Janet871

Does anyone know anything about this plant? I have conflicting types when googling what it is, so unsure how I’m supposed to take care of it. Is it an epephyllum or Lepismium or something else? My friend that gave it to me called it a Queen of the Night. Are all those long stringy things normal and do I leave them alone or trim them back? Is it a cacti, orchid or both? What type of soil is best? Lots of light, or should it be shaded? Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. It looks decent enough but feel I’m drawing at straws in the care department lol. Thanks in advance.

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  1. Sunny

    It’s a Queen of the Night, epiphyllum oxypetalum. It’s nicknamed an orchid cactus because of the large blooms night. It’s a rain forest cactus not part of the orchid family. So, it needs more water like regular foliage plants than typical cacti. Water when the soil is 2/3 dry. A good draining 1/2 succulent with 1/2 standard potting mix is the mix I use on mine. It looks leggy with those skinny appendages due to insufficient light. It likes bright indirect light. It does better in warmer humid areas in summer. It likes cooler temperatures in winter. It likes darker nights in winter without room lights coming on. I have two very old ones I leave outside year round. I bring them in when temperatures get below freezing. I reduce watering in winter. Your plant needs trimming to remove the thin appendages. They are sucking nutrients. Cutting them will allow the broader leaves to form once the plant gets sufficient light. Blooms form from the broader leaves. Check the root system. You may have to subdivide the plant if there are too many individual plants in that pot. No need to subdivide if the plant grows well with trimming and additional lighting. Good luck 🍀

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    • Janet871

      Thank you so much for all your advice. I’m on it. Thank you for the direction.

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    • Sunny

      No problem. 😁

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    • Sam

      Can you prop the skinny fellas? I think I have a similar one.

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    • Sunny

      You can try propagating it to see if it grows wide leaves. I would be concerned that the stem may be too weak and spindly to support the leaves as they grow. I would be curious to know if the stem thickens once it’s planted and gets more light.

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