Epicphyllum - Ode to Epiphyllum

[Evil Genius]

Hi Guys,

take a look at these epic Epiphyllum Flowers! Honestly, those plants are some of my absolute favorites!

Reasons:

1. Flower early in the german summer!

2. They have massive Flowers that make every visitor go "Wow"!

3. They are VERY frost resistant! I brought them out in March, where we had night temps of minus 10! Even one or two Trichos had frost damages but the Epi´s didn´t even blink. Tough Motherfuckers.

4. Did i mention the amazing Flowers yet? Again, FAN-TASTIC!

5. You can use them to create intergeneric hybrids.

Edited June 30, 2014 by Evil Genius

[Dreamwalker.]

I did a few multi grafts of epi's and dragon fruit tips on top of 2m high trich logs (yeah I know they will probably pup like crazy), but they seem to be taking ...I'm hoping for a weeping tree like effect, In pots, so easy to move inside and out with the season ...fruit and coloured flowers...win win...plus lots of spare pups..3 x win...must take some pic's

[Halcyon Daze]

I crossed one with a Selenicereus and will be planting the seeds soon. I'm hoping for a more vigorous epi, can't w8 to see what I get

[hostilis]

You're a good salesman. I'm going to get some epiphyllums now. Lol

[Evil Genius]

Can promise you, you will never regret this! The Epi´s were some of the Plants that i totally neglected at first but the Plants amazed me on various levels. The Flowers alone are worth having some. Will probably grow a bunch of Epi-Hybrids in the future!

[hostilis]

Do you have any recommendations on species or cultivars?

[Kykeion]

I did a few multi grafts of epi's and dragon fruit tips on top of 2m high trich logs (yeah I know they will probably pup like crazy), but they seem to be taking ...I'm hoping for a weeping tree like effect, In pots, so easy to move inside and out with the season ...fruit and coloured flowers...win win...plus lots of spare pups..3 x win...must take some pic's

Yes, yes you must!

[hostilis]

I just ordered a few epiphyllum cuttings. Hopefully I'll see flowers by next year.

[Dreamwalker.]

you can easily pick up heaps of cuttings from local online auctions.....they are very popular...local exchanges is another good source, you guys in the us may find exchanges on Daves and Gardenweb....

I was intending to do a post, but as some of you are here.... if anyone in the usa wants to do us all a big big favour , I know a site that is hybridising epis. halo, and sel....like crazy...mixing them all up...........and they sell off the spare fruit in a few months (and that's the problem, they sell the fruit, not the seed and no exporting, customs would freak at fruit any hoo).

I'm happy to buy them and have them delivered to your address, if you can clean the seed out of the fruit and take want you want and send the rest on to me as clean seed.

Edited July 1, 2014 by Dreamwalker

[hostilis]

I'm down for that. PM me.

[zelly]

been growing epi's for years, occasionally making crosses whenever the mood strikes...

local to me....

http://www.epies.net/

[Dreamwalker.]

the us epi hybrid fruit supplier had a minimum purchase us $25, He's the info if any ones wants to get hold of them...............probably best done as a group....as there would be so many seeds.

http://mattslandscape.com/detail/?plant_name=A%20Random%20Assortment%20Of%20%205%20Seed%20Pods

"5 random Epiphyllum seed ...(

full description below

)

Bloom Size: random

Registration Number: 07096

Availability:In Stock

Random
Seed Pods

$8.00

ONLY AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER EACH SEASON

This is for 5 random Epiphyllum seed pods. All are unmarked and could be anything. Many were made by nature (Bees-bugs etc.) and not crosses originated by anyone at the nursery. We literally have 1000s-wheelbarrows full from late August to Dec. They have limited viability after mid NOV-DEC. and begin rotting if not harvested, we begin removing all in Oct. aisle by aisle to harvest crosses we may have made and conplete throwing any remaining away each season by the 3rd week of December.

For each single purchase you will receive 5 random Epiphyllum seed pods, so if you order 2 you will get 10 total seed pods. These are random crosses and are not noted, but harvest dates are noted/written on each package of 5 for viability of germination.

Most average about the size of a Kiwi fruit (2" x 3"-average 50-100 seed count.) some or a few are as small as a U.S. dime coin (3/4" x 3/4"-average 10-30 seed ct.). A few are very large and are simular in size to an avacado fruit (3" x 4"-average 100 to 200 seed ct.). Regardless of the pod/fruit size almost all individual seeds are the same size 1/16" of an inch and are black in color. The pulp inside often is pink but could be red, magenta or white in color. All are edible-most are actually very sweet and tasty.

NOTE; This offer begins in September and is no longer available after December 22nd of each season."

[Dreamwalker.]

"Dreamwalker "I did a few multi grafts of epi's and dragon fruit tips on top of 2m high trich logs (yeah I know they will probably pup like crazy), but they seem to be taking ...I'm hoping for a weeping tree like effect, In pots, so easy to move inside and out with the season ...fruit and coloured flowers...win win...plus lots of spare pups..3 x win."

Yes, yes you must!

ok...its winter here and some of the older grafts on the san p sticks are only a few months.....so no real growth....I'm not sure if it will work..but they seem to be taking & and there is a bit of growth...some grafts (multi grafts so room for redundancies) have died.

The group far left of pic are~2m the taller ones 3m (still have to graft the 3m, was thinking of joining/grafting their pups for garden arches)...the small ones 300mm to 1m are grafted with all sorts of seedlings tops...the base of the seedlings are still in the propagator or pots, and are pupping ...so have 1 get heaps)

Edited February 25, 2015 by Dreamwalker.

[Caitlin]

I started off with these when I first got into gardening, they are amazing plants! and they are really easy to grow new colours, I have a few ones I have made. Next time they flower I will take photos.

They grow like weeds, the grow anywhere and they grow fast! they seem to love it in perth.

[Caitlin]

also, they sell them at my local bunnings quite often. I picked up one called #123 "Ambrosia" and the pink flowers are nearly 25cm across, they are HUGE! I definitely recommend that one if anyone sees it.

[hostilis]

I ended up getting a couple hybrids and an e. hookeri. Pretty stoked about them. Can't wait till they flower.

[Evil Genius]

I ended up getting a couple hybrids and an e. hookeri. Pretty stoked about them. Can't wait till they flower.

Can´t take too long. Put one branch in a glass once to root it and it put out flowers despite not having any roots or nutrients. They flower very easily, especially if they get good soil and nutrients.

[hostilis]

Awesome. Well they're in very rich soil (that has excellent drainage) and I just checked them today and they've rooted. I made some hanging baskets for them and they've been chilling in those in dry soil. I'll share the flower pictures here when they happen. One of them is supposed to have a purple flower. Very excited. Almost too excited... lol.

[Caitlin]

these are the ones that my local bunnings had. they are around $10 and they are really just small cuttings but they grow so quickly in my opinion they are worth it. So many different types.

[Dreamwalker.]

lucky bugger....you can only get cuttings from other collectors or some online nurseries here....

[shortly]

Most average about the size of a Kiwi fruit (2" x 3"-average 50-100 seed count.) some or a few are as small as a U.S. dime coin (3/4" x 3/4"-average 10-30 seed ct.). A few are very large and are similar in size to an avocado fruit (3" x 4"-average 100 to 200 seed ct.). Regardless of the pod/fruit size almost all individual seeds are the same size 1/16" of an inch and are black in color. The pulp inside often is pink but could be red, magenta or white in color. All are edible-most are actually very sweet and tasty.

Would be great to know which lines had 3"- 4" fruit, perhaps even see some seed or seedlings around?

[Dreamwalker.]

From what I read they pick all the ripe fruit ...dump it in a wheelbarrow....some are deliberate crosses, others are natural...all the progeny would be unique..I guess...for the price you can't really expect them to name them...bucket loads of unique epi seed for $8....

its a lucky dip

you can buy named plants from them to make up the min order.

[shortly]

I realize that the nursery owner only wishes to sell random unnamed fruits.

​Sowing trays & trays of seed from a nursery producing hybrids for the ornamental trade would most likely pay off hansom, if the flowers were your aim.

The same could not be said if ones aim is entirely different, I couldn't give a ratts about the flower colour or form. However if ones aim is the fruit rather than the flower then one of the random selections is of little value.

Other than knowing that a few among the thousands of hybrids, sports & inter-generics have avocado sized fruit are in circulation.

What i was thinking was to see if growers who may be keen to offer an insight into the fruit qualities of their plants & possibly even get some seed at least from mothers with known fruit quality to play with.

[Dreamwalker.]

Like you I'm more interested in the fruit than flower (they do mention good tasting). I'm not sure if size is that important, I'd prefer a sweet succulent apricot size fruit to a large bland tasting one...preferably without spines or glochids. I'm not sure if they are entirely breeding just for flower. A lot of epi fruit does taste good. Could try just asking for the big ones.

I think because they have such a large breeding range, that its more than likely you'd get so good tasting unique plants.

The plants I'm hoping to breed/hybridise with as soon as they start to flower (most are collected for their flowers, some for fruit) are a few types of Harrisa, Hylocereus & Selenicereus along with

Selenicereus grandiflorus

Selenicereus setaceus Hylocereus setaceus

selenicereus spinulosus

Selenicereus pteranthus

Selenicereus Anthonyanus

 

Selenicereus Chrysocardium

 

Epi ANGULIGER

Epiphyllum crenatum

 

Epiphyllum hookeri

 

Epiphyllum oxypetalum

 

Epiphyllum pumilum

 

[shortly]

Fruit size doesn't matter until you get to the, "is it worth the effort" point, which is much smaller for the varieties that have palatable fruit skin. Which some definitely are NOT, while others are at least on par with the pulp for overall palatability.

I've read that more than a few Epi's and Rhipsalis Et al are only known from cultivated specimens with no wild specimens known.

I wouldn't mind betting that more than a few are not natural species at all but rather ancient cultigens, and much of the selective breeding work was probably done long ago.

The flavor profiles of Epi's is probably vast, i've had apple/guava with a hint of pear, apricot/grape'ish and jasmine as in like eating jasmine flowers only as a sweet sugary slightly mucilaginous thing with a hint of nut.

Very hard to describe but actually rather nice.

It would be very interesting to sample fruits of "wild" varieties to see what already exists? How many first class fruits could be hiding in collections simply as a pretty flower?

I recall the seed of at least one species having been ground into a meal that was traditionally used to make a type of flat bread. Might have been hookeri? but i dont remember where or who? And given its large disjointed range there is bound to be a lot of variation from region to region, village to village and even plant to plant.

Selenicereus donkelaarii also has an edible fruit as well as having been used as a medicinal plant, the flower being used like digitalis to increase the force of cardiac contraction. Dont know that i'm keen to try that but its interesting to know.

Harissa/Roseocereus tephracanthus might be a good place to start? They have been cultivated for their fruit since before europeans arrived in the americas. Not sure how reproductively compatible they are with Epi's though?

I'm with you EG, i love these plants. there just isnt any real down sides to them at all. Tough as nails, purdy flowers, tasty fruit