First Epiphyllum Flower!

I have been monitoring the Epiphyllum cuttings outside my kitchen window lately. Remarkably, two of the rooted cuttings had sprouted buds, while the others were all setting new branches. I'm somewhat stunned that a single cutting without any new growth will bloom, but when I woke this morning, raised the curtain, and looked out, there it was!

Impromptu Up Pot 2

I evacuated the greenhouse today. It was scorching hot for March weather, so I decided it was a good day to up-pot all the plants. Originally, I had planned to make do with my ceramic pots, but I found some moderately attractive, light-weight, and inexpensive plastic pots that were perfectly sized for my needs. I bought 10 of those and was able to spread out my collection a bit. I ran out of soil before my ad hoc plan was finished, so I'll come back and update this post after I purchase more. I was also able to move my epiphyllum out of the greenhouse and into their planters which cap the cinder block wall behind my house. They look good so far. Hopefully the environment is good for them there.

Container 1:

• P. holosericea 
• P. 'Manta' (xiikzodz × coriacea) 
• P. foetida 'urbaniana' 

Container 2: 

• P. × belotii (alata x caerulea) 

Container 3: 

• P. x 'exoniensis' (antioquiensis × tripartita var. mollissima) 

Container 4: 

• P. 'Sunburst' (gilbertiana × jorullensis) 

Container 5: 

• P. trisecta 

Container 6: 

• P. cirrhiflora 

Container 7: 

• P. membranacea 

Container 8: 

• P. serrato-digitata
• P. glandulosa 

Container 9: 

• P. macrocarpa
• P. 'Mission Dolores' x P. anioquiensis

Container 10: 

• P. 'Erl' (P. 'Blue-Eyed Susan' x P. 'Blue Bouquet')
• P. luzmarina x (? x ?)
• P. actinia x (? x ?)

Container 11: 

• P. lindeniana

Container 12: 

• P. gritensis

Container 13: 

• P. New Hybrid 2

Container 14: 

• P. tarminiana 'alba'

Container 15: 

• P. x decaisneana  (alata × quadrangularis)
• P. nigradenia

Container 16: 

• P. caerulea
• P. nephrodes

Container 17: 

• P. umbilicata

Container 18: 

• P. tulae

Container 19: 

• P. racemosa 'buzios' 

Container 20: 

• P. bogotoensis 
• P. discophora 

Container 21: 

• P. stipulata 
• P. palmerii

Container 22: 

• P. loefgrenii

Container 23: 

• P. pittieri

In the Ground:

• P. edulis 'flavicarpa'
• P. racemosa 'buzios'
• P. umbilicata
• P. 'Cherry Tart' (cupraea x (yucatanensis and biflora))
• P. subrotunda

Seedlings and back-up plants: 

• P. New Hybrid 2
• P. gritensis 
• P. tarminiana 'alba' 
• P. lindeniana  
• P. morifolia
• P. membranacea "Strybing Variegated"
• P. sidifolia x (miersii x kermensia) 
• P. pinnastipula
• P. nephrodes
• P. 'Sapphire' (edulis × caerulea)
• P. 'Raspberries and Cream'
• P. umbilicata
• P. tulae
• P. caerulea

The March of Progress

It is a rainy day here in Redondo Beach and the LA basin as a whole. The region desperately needed the water, though it will cause some flooding and mud slides in the burn areas from recent fires. Nevertheless, it's a quick change from the sunny and warm weather than has caused my greenhouse to bulge with overgrowth. I've even taken to cutting some of the 4" pots back, which I almost never do for fear of hurting the juvenile plants. But today, as I noted, it is gray and cloudy. A day that I can't poke the flowers and do the rounds. So, instead I'm taking inventory and plotting my scheme for Spring.

In doing so, I recently pulled up a pot that just couldn't sustain its four original inhabitants. A more foolish and younger version of myself didn't realize how stunted the adult plants would become in this pot. So, with cuttings taken, rooted, and thriving in the greenhouse, I start from scratch on that pot and three others. One from the recently deceased P. parritae (which keeled over quite literally and suddenly), one from P. Raspberries and Cream which despite some flowers and fruit also met a composted fate, and one from P. Donna Brigham, which just didn't thrive where I had positioned it and wasn't a favorite to begin with. So, I have four empty pots...Oh, I have 5 if I count the small one.

There are a few jewels in my collection. I have a P. cirrhiflora doing quite well in the greenhouse. I have a P. membranacea doing just fine outdoors in a little pot. And, I have a couple of P. gritensis and P. lindeniana seedlings that are slowly maturing. With loefgrenii on the way (again) and a few other nice plants on the horizon, I need to strategize. First, what do I have occupied...

Oh wait, I recently put a few plants in the ground in the front yard. P. racemosa 'buzios', P. umbilicata, P. tulae, and P. caerulea are all enjoying the rain today. OK, back to the pots...

Container 1:

• P. holosericea 
• P. 'Manta' (xiikzodz × coriacea) 
• P. foetida 'urbaniana' 

Container 2: 

• P. racemosa 'buzios' 
• P. × belotii (alata x caerulea) 

Container 3: 

• P. x 'exoniensis' (antioquiensis × tripartita var. mollissima) 

Container 4: 

• P. 'Sunburst' (gilbertiana × jorullensis) 

Container 5: 

• P. trisecta 

Container 6: 

• P. cirrhiflora 

Container 7: 

• P. membranacea 

Container 8: 

• P. serrato-digitata
• P. glandulosa 

Container 9: 

• P. macrocarpa
• P. 'Mission Dolores' x P. anioquiensis

Container 10: 

• P. Erl (P. 'Blue-Eyed Susan' x P. 'Blue Bouquet')
• P. luzmarina x (? x ?)
• P. actinia x (? x ?)

In the Ground:

• P. edulis 'flavicarpa'
• P. racemosa 'buzios'
• P. umbilicata
• P. tulae
• P. caerulea
• P. 'Cherry Tart' (cupraea x (yucatanensis and biflora))
• P. subrotunda

Plants in 4" Pots: 

• P. New Hybrid 2
• P. gritensis 
• P. tarminiana 'alba' 
• P. lindeniana  
• P. morifolia
• P. membranacea "Strybing Variegated"
• P. sidifolia x (miersii x kermensia) 
• P. pinnastipula
• P. stipulata (April)
• P. loefgrenii (April)
• P. discophora (April)
• P. nephrodes
• P. x decaisneana (alata × quadrangularis)
• P. 'Blue-Eyed Susan' (incarnata × edulis) × (incarnata × cincinnata)
• P. 'Sapphire' (edulis × caerulea)
• P. 'Raspberries and Cream'
• P. nigradenia
• P. palmeri
• P. bogotoensis
• P. umbilicata
• P. tulae
• P. caerulea

That's a bunch of plants needing space to root. So here's the plan:

1. P. membranacea gets up-potted to the largest pot which formerly house P. parritae.
2. P. lindeniana gets P. membranacea's old pot and some black bamboo stakes.
3. P. gritensis and P. loefgrenii share one pot.
4. P. decaisneana and P. nigradenia share one pot.
5. P. bogotoensis, P. discophra and, P. morifolia share the last pot.
6. P. Blue-Eyed Susan and P. nephrodes will join P. Erl in its pot (extricating the other two).
7. P. tarminiana 'alba' and P. New Hybrid 2 will need a brand new pot