In the list of unpretentious flowering cacti, ripsalis are necessarily mentioned. These are very spectacular epiphytic cacti. True, certain species are often grown not for flowering, but only for the sake of stick-like shoots. Some ripsalis are almost indistinguishable from their counterparts, others are genuine originals. Ripsalis has one thing in common – the love of bright lighting, high humidity and minimal maintenance. What are ripsalis and how to care for them, I will tell you in my article.
Rhipsalis are the most unusual cacti. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com cgtrader
Contents:
Description of the plant
Dwellers in humid forests ripsalis (Rhipsalis) are considered one of the most original representatives family cactus (Cactaceae). The name itself, derived from the Greek “whip-like”, indicates the appearance of these non-standard plants. It perfectly reflects the nature of the plant and our popular nickname prutnovik.
Rhipsalis became famous primarily for their ability to bush abundantly. They develop as graceful, almost graphic shrubs and often delight with aerial roots. At the same time, innumerable drooping shoots are formed, which interestingly branch into numerous internodes.
With a length of 40 cm to 1 m or more, ripsalis surprise with the thinness of the stems. In different types of ripsalis, branches are both flat, almost leaf-shaped, and rounded, ribbed, rod-shaped, reminiscent of a pencil. The edge of the ripsalis is quite interesting: soft, bristly, without thorns, it is much softer than that of competitors.
Ripsalis bloom most often begins with an increase in daylight hours in February or March, but can stretch until April-June. It is quite unusual. Areoles in these cacti are located directly on the surface of the stems, often along the entire length of the shoot, or from the upper third to half of the branches. The flowers are very large, up to 2,5 cm, beautiful, actinomorphic, with a pale white, cream, fawn or pink corolla and numerous stamens.
After flowering, ripsalis develop bright berry-like fruits, the color of which is different for each species – from black berries to snow-white waxy ones.
Rhipsalis campos-portoana. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com epiforums
Rhipsalis burchellii. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Stefano
Rhipsalis russellii. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com mercadolivre
Types of indoor ripsalis
The Ripsalis family has its own decorative favorites:
- Ripsalis campos port (Rhipsalis campos-portoana) – a shrub with very thin, pencil-like, branched, drooping shoots with creamy flowers at the ends.
- Ripsalis Burcella (Rhipsalis burchellii) Is a bright green plant with twig-like twigs and cream flowers.
- Rhipsalis Russell (Rhipsalis russellii) – a spectacular view with large leaf-shaped segments, along the edge of which bright pink fruits are scattered.
- Ripsalis fluffy (Rhipsalis floccosa) – woody cactus with round, long shoots and fluffy, due to the density of the stamens, flowers.
- Ripsalis gnarled (Rhipsalis clavata) – “fur” cactus with densely divided into short thin segments of shoots.
- Ripsalis roll (Rhipsalis teres, synonym – hairy ripsalis — Rhipsalis capilliformis) Is a whimsical twig-like cactus that creates a graphic mass of “twigs” and small flowers.
- Ripsalis pilocarpa (Rhipsalis pilocarpa) – a brightly colored cactus with rounded “pencil” tough, pubescent shoots and white “fluffy” flowers.
- Curly Ripsalis (Rhipsalis crispata) – a species with flat leaf-shaped segments, with a rich emerald color and rounded teeth.
- Ripsalis cereus (Rhipsalis cereuscula) – forming a graphic lace from shortened rounded thin segments of a cactus.
- Rhipsalis mesimbriantemoid (Rhipsalis mesembryanthemoides) – a species resembling a coniferous plant with main branches and white flowers hidden under a mass of fleshy needle-shaped shoots.
- Rhipsalis is strange (Rhipsalis paradox) Is a whimsical cactus with triangular segments creating graphic lace.
- Rhipsalis thick-winged (Rhipsalis pachyptera) – a view with leaf-shaped triangular segments with a filigree jagged edge, reddish streaks and cream flowers on the edge of the “leaves”.
Rhipsalis fluffy (Rhipsalis floccosa). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com nelumbogarden
Rhipsalis clavata. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Andre Benedito
Рипсалис вальковатый (Rhipsalis teres). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com davesgarden
Growing conditions for indoor ripsalis
Rhipsalis are unpretentious to the conditions, but they cannot stand the direct sun, and placing them on the south window without protection is a big mistake. After all, the soft or bright green colors of the ripsalis will change to reddish tints, and the cactus itself will wither.
But on the other hand, ripsalis adapt perfectly to partial shade, in diffused lighting they do not even lose the ability to bloom abundantly. Eastern and western window sills are preferred during the warmer months and moving to more illuminated places from mid-autumn.
For ripsalis, both in winter and in summer, ordinary room temperatures are considered best. They are thermophilic, do not tolerate a decrease in indicators to 15 degrees, but they are quite heat-resistant. The minimum temperatures that the ripsalis can bear is about 10 degrees. Cool wintering allows prolonged flowering.
Unlike many cacti, Ripsalis thrive on a balcony or garden in summer. If the ripsalis are exposed to fresh air, they need to select a shady place, protected from drafts. When kept in rooms, Ripsalis require regular, neat ventilation.
Read also our material Epiphyllums – abundantly flowering forest cacti.
Rhipsalis pilocarpa. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com seedsexotic
Ripsalis care at home
Ripsalis has a bizarre combination of love for moderate soil moisture and high air humidity. Watering for Ripsalis is carried out in such a way as to avoid complete drying out of the soil and overflow. The substrate should be allowed to dry in the upper third, preventing water from stagnating in the trays. For ripsalis, frequent moderate watering or more rare but abundant watering is suitable. It is better to keep the moisture content of the substrate stable, regardless of the season.
Air humidity for ripsalis should be increased: in the development of twigs, it is much more important than the moisture content of the substrate. They love spraying in the summer, installing bowls and trays of wet pebbles, and thrive in tropical collections with industrial humidifiers.
Ripsalis require moderate feeding. For them, fertilizers are applied only in liquid form, together with water for irrigation during the budding and flowering period. If ripsalis blooms in winter, fertilizers are applied at a frequency of 1 time in 5-6 weeks, in spring and summer cacti can be fed 1 time in 3 weeks. For ripsalis, universal fertilizers with half the concentration or special fertilizers for succulents in full concentration are suitable.
Ripsalis does not form. This cactus recovers well from injuries and damage during transplantation or transportation.
Rhipsalis rarely get sick. Most often, plants are annoyed by scale insects, which are best dealt with with systemic insecticides. If Ripsalis is kept in very dry air, it can suffer from spider mites.
Read also our material 20 indoor cacti and succulents with strikingly beautiful flowering.
Transplant, containers and substrate
Rhipsalis are transplanted when they completely fill the old container. The standard frequency is once every 1-2 years, with an annual replacement of the topsoil.
Ripsalis require wide but not deep containers with very large drainage holes. The weight of the drain itself can adjust the stability of the containers, but it should not be less than a third of the height of the container.
For ripsalis, you need to carefully select the soil. Regular soil for succulents with good nutritional values is the best option, because these forest cacti are more moisture-loving, but extremely demanding on soil air permeability. In any substrate, even purchased, it is worth adding charcoal and inert loosening additives (sphagnum, perlite, vermiculite).
Rhipsalis are not transplanted, but are reloaded, carefully handling the crown.
Ripsalis mesembryanthemoides (Rhipsalis mesembryanthemoides). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Gabriela Vigdorovici
Reproduction of ripsalis
Cuttings of ripsalis are broken off from mature, but not old shoots, drying out the broken spots and rooting in a sandy-peat substrate slightly moistened with water. For rooting, you need to maintain a high humidity and a temperature of 23 to 25 degrees Celsius.
Ripsalis can also be grown from seeds. For them to germinate, you need to maintain a temperature of 20 to 25 degrees and high humidity under glass or film. Sowing is carried out shallow, in sandy soils, under glass or a hood.
Ripsalis is rarely propagated by dividing the bush, because the plant has very fragile roots that do not like contacts. Large old bushes are divided into no more than 3 parts, trying to keep injuries to a minimum, without shaking off the soil. To adapt ripsalis, light soil moisture, high air humidity and soft lighting are needed.
