Cactus selenicereus is a beautiful fast-growing plant with large flowers in the form of a crown. No wonder he is called the "queen of the night." The plant is a rhizome epiphyte and is widespread in the tropical forests of South and Central America. Selenitereus in the photo impresses with its species diversity, which allows flower growers to choose the most interesting species or even create an entire composition.
Plant description
The genus selenicereus belongs to the cactus family. It contains epiphytic, terrestrial and lithophytic perennials with unusually long shoots. Its green succulent stems grow up to 12 m long and only 2–3 cm thick. Soft, creeping or drooping shoots are beautifully arranged along vertical supports. The annual growth of the plant can reach 2 m. In a favorable environment, the stems are added 2-2.5 cm every day.
At the ends of the lashes are very large flowers. The diameter of white, cream or pinkish crowns is about 30 cm. A corolla of many narrow petals blooms out of a tube up to 40 cm long. In the central part of the flower, the petals are more rounded, they fit snugly together. Closer to the reverse side are needle-shaped, long perianths. In the center is a dense bunch of long straight stamens and ovaries. Flowers bloom only at night, and during the day they more closely resemble a tightly wound ball of thread.
In place of large flowers appear ovoid large fruits up to 8 cm long. Juicy flesh is covered with red or raspberry skin.
Popular views
In the genus of selenicereus, 24 plant species were recorded. In culture, only some of them are used. Most popular large-flowered selenicereus or grandiflorus. Its long dark green stems are covered with dense skin, which protects the cactus from drying out. On the surface of the lashes there are vertical ribs in the amount of 7-8 pieces with rare bundles of short needles. The lashes are easily intertwined and grow 10 meters in length.
Large flowers with a 20 cm tube and a flower diameter of 30 cm exude a strong vanilla aroma. Flowers are located on the tops of the stems. Each flower lives only one night, but up to fifty buds are formed on one plant, so flowering lasts more than a month.
Selenitereus Anthony. The plant is distinguished by unusual flat and zigzag stems. Many gardeners see a similarity between them and fish bones. The width of the long soft stalk reaches 15 cm. On the sides of the green-blue lashes there are low areoles with bunches of short needles. Flowers with a diameter of up to 20 cm have many narrow petals, painted in purple, pink and cream colors on each flower.
Hook-shaped selenicereus. The plant has soft bright green stems with a circular cross section. On their surface there are 4-5 ribs covered with hooked needles. Silver spurs up to 5 mm long are bundled in 5 pieces at the ends of rare areoles. Flowers with a diameter of 20 cm have a more elongated tube (40 cm). They are cream or white.
Mrs. MacDonald's Selenitereus. The plant is very similar to Grandiflorus, but differs in brighter, almost orange coloring of external petals.
Among all the variety, it is not difficult to choose the most attractive plant and buy selenicereus, which will become the main favorite of the house.
Reproduction and transplantation
Selenitereus is propagated by sowing seeds or rooting processes. Seeds are harvested from ripened fruits and sown soon. Peeled seeds should be dried in a cloth bag for several days. Prepare a flat pot with clay-sandy, moist soil. Seeds are deepened by 0.5-1 cm and covered with a film. The greenhouse is kept in a warm room (+ 20 ... +25 ° C). Each day, the film is removed for 30 minutes and the soil is sprayed. Seeds germinate within 17-20 days. Shelter is removed and after 1-2 weeks young cacti are transplanted into separate pots.
In spring, cuttings can be cut from the tops of lashes 7-10 cm long. The places of the slices are sprinkled with crushed charcoal and dried in the air for several hours. The cuttings are buried in the sandy clay soil by only a few millimeters and create support to rooting.
Since the cactus is growing rapidly, it needs a stable, bulky pot. Large floor or table tubs are suitable. Young selenicereuses are transplanted annually, but gradually maintain an interval of 3-4 years. The soil for planting should include the following elements:
- soddy soil;
- river sand;
- gravel.
You can use the finished land for cacti with gravel. Large drainage material is poured into the bottom of the pot. When transplanting, they try to remove as much of the old soil as possible. The surface of the soil needs to be loosened more often so that air enters the root system.
Care Rules
In leaving, selenitereus is very unpretentious. It is exposed in a bright room, it can even be placed in direct sunlight. Summer heat is also not terrible for this cactus. In winter, it is necessary to lower the temperature to + 15 ... +17 ° C. Without such a difference, the stems are very elongated and thinned. Drafts and sharp night cold snap are completely unacceptable.
Water the selenitereus with caution. Between watering, the land should dry out by about a third. Excess moisture must leave the pot, otherwise the base of the stems and roots will rot and the plant can no longer be saved. Hard tap water should be well defended and softened with lemon juice.
Selenitereus is unpretentious to the humidity of urban apartments, so it does not need frequent spraying, although they do not harm the stems. Sometimes you can wash the plant under a warm shower.
Since the plant grows rapidly, it needs a large amount of nutrients. From March to the end of October, three times a month it is necessary to make special mineral fertilizing for succulents.
A high crown needs reliable support. Young shoots form a beautiful cascade and look good in a cache-pot. Trimming must be done carefully. The stems may suffer and dry out after the procedure. Lateral processes on the lashes are not formed, so pinching the ends does not make sense.
Possible difficulties
In addition to root rot with improper irrigation, selenicereus does not suffer from other diseases. A big problem for a cactus is scabbard and spider mites. They just dry the individual shoots. At the first sign of infection, you should immediately use an insecticide. For prevention, the treatment is repeated again after a week.
Using
With the help of decorative lashes of selenitereus, decorated with huge flowers, you can arrange furniture, a balcony or a winter garden. Cactus looks equally good in independent plantings and in composition with other flowering or deciduous plants.
In addition to decorative qualities, selenicereus is famous for its medicinal properties. Its juice has long been used as a calming grind for rheumatism and muscle pain. Tincture on the petals is used as heart drops. They effectively normalize the activity of the circulatory system and increase strength.
