If you spray, don't get it on the flower bud as it could be damaged and wither/die.

Yes, that looks like E. oxypetalum. The plant should definitely be grown in shade, otherwise it will get sun burned (hence the light colored stems). Interesting that you have buds now, mine doesn't bloom until later in the year. The little fruit (seed pod) is interesting, I've been told they are notoriously hard to set fruit on.

Fertilize in Jan-Feb with a very low nitrogen fertilizer and again in the summer with a complete fertilizer after it has stopped blooming. Water when the soil is dry to the touch. And an insecticidal soap is a good idea for the mealy bugs. Or alternatively just blast the plant with water to knock off the bugs.

Holzinger, thank you so much for all the great information. This plant seems to be blooming continually. It blooms heavily then, when all the flowers are gone, it takes a small rest and blooms again.

It took a rest for about 2 months and just started again; this time with that seed pod that came in first as a flower bud that withered, then the pod pushed through. I found this video on YouTube which explains a lot of detail concerning the pod:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqHbqtZYGOQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

The guy recommends on two occasions to be careful with harvesting the seed because "each state is different." I wonder what he means by that. Is he suggesting that each seed will prodice a different Epi plant? Different from the parents? With different blooms? I wish!

What about pruning? I see these skinny long stems coming out of the plant base with a pad at the tip. What are they and should I cut them off at the base and pot separately?

- Maria Elena

Correction:

Video says, "Each ONE is different" in reference to the seeds.

I don't know what "each state is different" means, but the seeds are all different combinations of the two parent's genes, so they can theoretically all be different. The fruit will turn red and hang on for months. When it starts to give when squeezed, it can be picked and the seeds will then need to be separated from the pulp. There are videos online showing how to do this. You can plant the seeds immediately, or store them in the refrig until the following spring.

The stems can be pruned at any time, but don't cut them in half. To remove a stem you should cut it at the base. As for the long stems you see now, that's how E. oxypetalum grows. This plant will get quite large, so by cutting these stems off, you will keep the plant relatively smaller. If you want a huge plant, then let them grow.

Propagation of this plant should be done with the flat stems. Use a piece about 6-8 inches long, cut off the bottom of the cutting at an angle and let it dry for two weeks before putting it in rooting medium. I like to use 50/50 perlite/vermiculite. Once in the medium, don't "water" the cuttings, just spray them once a week or so with water.

The pod was softer today (like a ripe avocado), so I cut it off and harvested the seeds. I also tasted the pulp...nothing to write home about...kind of like semi ripe strawberry-ish. Anyway, I got 54 seeds out of this one little tiny pod...Amazing! Let's see what I can get out of them.

I promised a photo of the blooms when I first posted but they opened & closed before I could catch them.

This morning, two months later, she's in bloom again. She's greened up, living happily under the canopy of a Bay Rum tree.

Those are such beautiful flowers.

What happened with the seeds you harvested? Did you try to grow plants from them?

My plant thanks you for complimenting her pretty blooms, Rina.

With taking care of the house & being my mom's caregiver, it's difficult to keep up. I just planted 4 seeds last week to see if they germinate. You're welcome to some if you want ... Send me a pvt message via my profile.

I never grew any succulents from seeds, so was wondering if it worked for you. All I know that some seeds need to be really fresh, some seed pods take long time to ripen...don't really know much about.

These epis must look just beautiful growing outdoors, year round - not possible in my climate. I would love to be able to have some hanging from tree limbs...

That's a stunning bloom! QotN has a great perfume, so I am told, I hope you were fortunate to experience it? What did it smell like, can you explain?

Gill UK

Rina,

They do look great hanging from tree limbs ... as do begonias. I wish I had more tree limbs to hang baskets of plants on. One day ... just not today!

I'll let you know as soon as I get anything from the seeds I harvested. That red pod was really, really ripe when I removed it and the seeds are only 2 months old.

★

Gill,

Thank you! Unfortunately, they're a short-lived pleasure. The blooms are already beginning to close. It's overcast and the skies want to water the plants. This one blooms about every two months ... probably due to the suffocatingly high humidity.

My superb olfactory abilities pick up absolutely no perfume. I even removed a flower last time and brought it in the house to smell it away from all the garden greenery. Nada! Zilch! Not even anything faint.

From The Amateur Digest:

http://www.theamateursdigest.com/epis.htm

"Do the flowers have a fragrance? Some species have flowers with a fragrance. It is most noticeable in late evening or early morning when the temperature is coolish rather than warm."

---

Perhaps the heat ...

★

Thanks again. All the best to you.

I have this plant. I live in the Caribbean and my plant is in full sunlight every day of the year.

It blooms about 4 times a year.

Multiple flowers that lasts for a couple of days. It now has large seed pod.

Maria, if you want a QotN-type flower that has a lovely fragrance, it's difficult to find something better than this Peniocereus hirschtianus (photo courtesy of Mark Fryer) :

Of course the most fragrant of them all (Discocactus), heady in its gardenia-like scent, is also nocturnal (but decidely different from this type of flower.

HU-64086, the epi I posted 4 years ago is NOT a full sun plant. It yellows when placed in full sun. My friend has hers in full sun and it’s an ugly, stressed yellowish green. It does bloom floriforously about every 2 months here in the Caribbean. Also, it’s gorgeous blooms open in the morning and only last until noon ... about 5 hrs. There are other varieties that are night blooming. I don’t know of any of these epis with blooms that last more than a few hours. For this reason I gave mine away. I’ve moved on. Loving this Edithcholea grandís.

Cactusmcharris ... I love that bloom and will check to see if it’s among some of my hanging baskets. I actually do have fragranced plants: gardenias, roses, plumerias, an adenium that smells like cinnamon, and a variety of hoyas and orchids. And this gymnocalycium beauty ... No fragrance but spectacular.

hi Noel.. beautiful Epi you have there.. i just posted several hours ago regarding mine that i started from seeds about 4-5 years ago that was taken (stolen) just couple days ago :( (devastated)

If you so happen to have just a few seeds you can spare.. i'd gladly pay for shipping if you don't mind. :)

Chuy

Hi, Noel. Drying seeds applies to storage. You DO NOT have to dry seeds if you want to plant. I have had pods stay too long on the plant and the seeds germinate right inside the pod.