Epiphyllum anguliger – Cactus garden

The Epiphyllum anguliger has a unique foliage, free-blooming, and night fragrance. It has an extremely abnormal look with wavy lobed leaves, in a deep green shade. Named the Fishbone Cactus due to the pattern of leaves along a central spine, which takes after the look of a fish skeleton. Blooms arrive effortlessly from late summer through fall, and best of all, it’s one species that doesn’t need a winter chill to flower. The white or pale yellow flowers bloom nocturnally, exuding a strong, sweet scent. They are up to 8 inches (20 cm) long and up to 3 inches (7.5) cm wide. The fruit is up to 1.6 inches (4 cm) thick, ovoid and brownish, greenish or yellowish in color.

Scientific Name: Epiphyllum anguliger
Common Name: Fishbone cactus or zig zag cactus.

How to grow and maintain Epiphyllum anguliger :

Light:
Epiphyllum anguliger do best in bright filtered light or partial shade. They do not like the direct full sun, but morning and late afternoon sun are okay.

Soil:
Give them good drainage and high organic matter in their soil.

Temperature:
Fishbone cactus are hardy to about 50°F (10°C), but require at least 60°F (15°C) during the growing season, so are best grown in a heated greenhouse, conservatory or indoors.

Water:
Bring the soil to a state of visual dryness between watering. When watering, completely soak the soil until a little water runs out of the bottom of the pot. They prefer more moisture in the summer. For mature plants, in the winter from November to March, totally restrict water. Younger plants will need to be watered sparingly during these months.

Fertilizer:
Fishbone cactus is moderate feeders so ¼ tsp of fertilizer per gallon of water once a week. Use a balanced fertilizer such as a 15-15-15 or a blooming fertilizer like 7-9-5. Reduce feeding during the winter.

Propagate:
Fishbone cactus is one of the easiest cactus plants to propagate. You just need a piece of stem to start an entirely new plant. Take a fresh cutting and let it callus on the counter for a few days.