Did you know that cacti can grow on trees? Rhipsalis, lepismium and pseudorhipsalis are prime examples and they all make ideal houseplants, says plant expert Tony Le-Britton.
‘“This is one of my favourite groups of plants and I have them hanging all over my house,” reveals Tony from @notanotherjungle. “They add a unique quality and their hardiness means you can leave them until they’re completely dry before watering and they need very little extra care. Mine grow beautifully for many years without repotting!”
In the second episode of Plants with Impact, we shine the spotlight on Rhipsalis baccifera (pronounced: rip-sal-is bak-i-fera), commonly known as the mistletoe cactus. This striking, tropical hanging plant is super easy to care for. And guess what? It can even bear berries! In the wild, Rhipsalis is an epiphytic plant, meaning it grows on the surface of trees. Native to the jungles of Central and South America, this hardy plant has a unique appearance. Rhipsalis has long, slender, succulent stems (which is why it’s also called the spaghetti cactus) and produces tiny white flowers followed by small, mistletoe-like berries. It will happily grow over the edge of a pot or hanging plant, making it a real eye-catcher in your home design.
Learn how to care for your mistletoe cactus and two easy ways to propagate it in the video above
Light
• Mistletoe cacti thrive in bright, indirect light, but a touch of sun in the early morning or late afternoon will also help them thrive.
irrigation
• Only water when it is bone dry.
• Do not leave it in water. Let it soak well, but make sure the water drains away.
“I water my tree cacti really thoroughly,” says Tony. “In fact, I take them outside and hose them down completely. If that’s not possible, just put them under the shower and give the leaves a really good soak and saturate the soil so the water can drain out.”
Feeding
• Fertilize every other watering throughout the year.
How to propagate
“This family of plants has a pretty sophisticated way of spreading,” says Tony. “After flowering, they produce berries that are full of black seeds and surrounded by a sticky mucilage.”
You can try two methods for propagation:
Method one: Squeeze a berry to release the seeds; wipe the seeds on a piece of cork bark; place the bark in an airtight container with a little water and seal to keep it moist. The seeds will germinate and roots will attach to the bark. Once leaves appear and are a few inches long, remove the plants from the bark to pot them in soil or cover the bark. You can then hang the bark and mist a couple of times a week to keep the plant moist.
Method two: Break off a piece of the plant that has a knot and place it on moist soil. Cover it with plastic wrap or put it in an airtight container. Within a few weeks it will take root and give you a beautiful new plant.
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