h2 
CACTUS PETE 
By the time the roots reach the manure, they are 
strong and well-established and there is no 
danger of their burning. 
The use of peat moss by amateur growers is 
discouraged, as it holds excess moisture, and 
there is danger that plants will suffer from 
over-watering. Also, peat moss may tend to 
make the soil too acid and thus encourage root- 
rot. 
CONTAINERS 
Tests have proved that plants grown in tin 
cans or in wooden containers are stronger and 
have more and larger blooms than those grown 
in clay pots. 
Plants grown in pots require about twice as 
much water, and the soil becomes hard and 
compact. This is detrimental to Epiphyllums, 
which should have a loose, airy root-run and 
perfect drainage. 
The soil in cans can be kept properly aerated 
by means of holes punched around the base of 
the can. If no holes are made in the bottom of 
the cans, the undersides will remain clean and 
free of sowbugs and slugs (a good method for 
many plants). 
Benches made of heavy slats, spaced about an 
inch apart, also help to solve the pest problem, 
as insects cannot collect under the containers. 
Three inches of crushed rock spread over the 
ground surface of the lathhouse will practically 
eliminate snails, considered the worst enemy of 
orchid cactus. 
Plants should be kept moist, but not wet, all 
through the blooming season. When the plants 
are not in bud, they may be sprayed overhead ; 
otherwise, they should be carefully watered 
from below, as water on the buds causes them 
to drop. 
WHERE TO GROW 
Epiphyllums require sunshine, but will pro- 
duce good blooms in complete shade if there is 

Epiphyllum trained on pot trellis. To grow in a tree, 
surround roots with compost, place them in wire 
frame, and fasten onto the tree. 





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(1) Cuttings 10-16 inches give quick bloom; some 
consider 6 to 8 inches better. Do not cut through 
unseen vein running from eyes to the center stem 
where new growth starts. 
CUT HERE 
an abundance of reflected light, as from stucco 
walls or paved patio floors. If grown in too 
much heat, Epiphyllums will produce a mass 
of flowers all at once, and then do little more. 
In warmer climates, Epiphyllums grow ideally 
in lathhouses, and it is a glorious sight to see a 
well-grown plant hanging ina tree (or from the 
roof of a lathhouse or greenhouse), with its 
flowers showering down to eye level. Plants so 
grown may be combined with asparagus fern 
which forms a soft green cushion for the orchid 
cactus. 
Epiphyllums may easily be wintered in the 
north if they are kept dry throughout the coldest 
part of the winter. They can be wintered in a 
furnace-heated basement if they are kept dry 
and dormant. (Do not place near furnace.) 
Plants being trained upright should not be 
allowed to become too dense at the base, as the 
crowded, innermost stems will produce but few 
blossoms. An upright plant may be forced to 
grow taller by allowing only a few branches to 
grow from the base of the plant. It does no 
harm to pinch out the tips of the new growth 
when the plants have grown to the desired 
height. 
FRUITS 
Not very many gardeners know that Epiphy]l- 
lums produce fruits. Each variety bears a slightly 
different type of fruit with a different flavor. 
All are palatable, and some are delicious. Those 
which are bright red inside are especially attrac- 
tive in fruit salads. All Epiphyllum fruits be- 
come very fragrant when ripe, and are highly 
valued for this quality. Birds favor them, too. 
EPIPHYLLUMS IN THE NORTHWEST 
Epiphyllums are not complete strangers to 
Northwest gardeners, many of whom are grow- 
ing them successfully as house plants. 
Herbert Williams, President of the Washing- 
