SHINER CACTUS NURSERY 
15 
Selenicereus vagans 
PROPAGATION OF EPIPHYLLUMS 
Fiopagation of Fpip.iyilums requires a special descrip¬ 
tion as they require a distinctly different culture from Gerei, 
Neomammillarias and Echinocacti. They require more mois¬ 
ture and a richer soil, and are lovers of shade and warmth. 
They repay this type of care within a year or two with 
flowers in a wide variety of colors some of them the largest 
flowers in the cactus family. 
Flowers are described as “gorgeous henna”, cerise with 
magenta throat, rose-pink, deep red, and yellowish white 
“orange glories”, '“chrome yellow”, etc. The 21 valid species 
of Britton & Rose are almost all white. The wonderful colors 
have been developed by hybridizing. 
Epiphyllum cuts after being allowed to callous for two 
or three days may be rooted in slightly moist sand. After 
being rooted, plant in small pots in a soil mixture of 30 
per cent leaf mould, 30 per cent sandy loam, 20 per cent 
Hylocereus trigonus well decomposed cow fertilizer, and 20 per cent of German 
peat. Pots must have good drainage. Crowding roots in 
small pot space tends to produce blooms. Do not use lime in 
soil for Epiphyllums. It is thought by some of the leading 
growers that the black spots occurring some times are caused 
by the plant’s effort to eliminate lime. 
Selenicereus pteranthus 
(nycticaulis) 
Hylocereus 
Acanthocereus pentagonus 
CEREEAE-Subtribe II-Hylocereanae 
Hylocereus—Climbing cacti, often epiphytic, stems normally 3 angled or 
3 winged. Flowers very large, nocturnal, mostly white, rarely red. 18 or more 
species native to the tropics. Name means forest-cereus. 
Hylocereus trigonus—West Indies—Stems slender, clambering, deep 
green; joints 3-angled, margins strongly undulate. Flowers large, very fine. 
Hylocereus purpusii—Tuxpan, Mexico—Stems bluish, climbing; ribs 3 or 
4, margins only slightly undulate; flowers large, outer perianth purplish. 
Selenicereus vagans—Western Coast of Mexico—In nature creeps over 
rocks; ribs about 10; spines short, numerous, brownish yellow; large flower, 
white with outer perianth brownish. 
Selenicereus macdonaldiae—Honduras—Young stems 5 angled with aerial 
roots, prominent flattened tubercles. Spines few. Flowers very large, fine. 
Selenicereus pteranthus (nycticaulis)—Mexico—Slender in cultivation but 
stout in nature. Stems bluish green to purple, strongly 4 to 6 angled. Flowers 
very large, fragrant. Good grafting stock. 
The Selenicereus to be seen climbing through the tops of tall trees along 
the Pan American Highway, also clambering over rocks in mountain canyons 
between Monterrey and Victoria, is S. spinulosis a fine flowering, most sat- 
Selenicereus macdonaldiae 
►o< 
Hylocereus purpusii 
isfactory species. 
