The world of cacti is extremely rich and diverse. Our idea of cacti is most often associated with desert species living in arid areas. But among the vast family of cactus (Cactaceae) there are also inhabitants of humid tropical forests, leading an epiphytic (on tree trunks) or lithophytic (on stones) way of life. They are often called forest cacti. Outwardly, they are very different from desert relatives - they have flat, bare stems, usually with a scalloped edge, which have taken over the function of photosynthesis. In many species, the spines are practically reduced and remain in the form of small scales on the sides of the stems located in special buds - areoles. Relatively large flowers are also formed there. The living conditions and, therefore, the care of these species is sharply different from the care of the representatives of desert cacti.
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Central America is considered the birthplace of forest cacti, from where they spread with the help of humans and animals across suitable climatic zones on other continents. Forest cacti settle in crevices of trunks or on rocks, their roots grow into small clusters of rotted foliage. Depending on the species, they prefer direct sun or light shade in the crown of trees. Moisture and nutrients are absorbed not only by the roots, but also by the plant stems from the surrounding air. Forest cacti grow in warm and temperate conditions, where the temperature never drops to negative values. The length of daylight hours fluctuates around 12 hours, some species react with flowering to an increase in daylight hours, others to a decrease. Usually there is a period of relative dormancy before flowering, then the temperature drops slightly and the amount of moisture received is reduced.
The unusual appearance of faceted and carved, long, growing mainly down, stems and amazingly beautiful flowers, as well as a small number of thorns (until they are completely absent) have gained high popularity of these plants. Among amateur flower growers, representatives of several genera of forest cacti are widespread, mainly related to the tribes of the Ripsalian Hilocereus. Due to the ability for interspecific and interspecific crosses in the Hilocereus tribe, unusually beautiful hybrids were obtained - Orchid cacti, or Epicactus (EPIS), which are not quite rightly called Hybrid epiphyllums.
Recently, with the beginning of the application of modern molecular biological methods, the taxonomy of cacti has undergone dramatic changes, so many plants have several names and in different sources may belong to various closely related genera.
Ripsaliev tribe (Rhipsalideae) includes genus:
- Lepismium (Lepismium) - can be found under the name acantoripsalis (Acanthorhipsalis), pfeifer (Pfeiffera).
- Ripsalis (Rhipsalis) - some members of the genus can be found under the name cassuta (Cassytha), erythroripsalis (Erythrorhipsalis), gatiora (Hatiora), limanbenzonia (Lymanbensonia).
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- Gatiora (Hatiora) - referred to as epiphyllopsis (Epiphyllopsis), pseudozygocactus (Pseudozygocactus), ripsalidopsis (Rhipsalidopsis).
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- Schlumberger (Schlumbergera) - sometimes called epiphylanthus (Epiphyllanthus), epiphyllum (Epiphyllum), opuntiopsis (Opuntiopsis), zygocactus (Zygocactus), zigocereus (Zygocereus).
Tribe Hilocereus (Hylocereeae) includes the genus:
- Disocactus (Disocactus) - found under the names aporocactus (Aporocactus), aporocereus (Aporocereus), bonifation (Bonifazia), chiapazia (Chiapasia), disocereus (Disocereus), disisocactus (Disisocactus), heliocereus (Heliocereus), mediocereus (Mediocereus), nopalxochia (Nopalxochia), pseudonopalxochia (Pseudonopalxochia), trochilocactus (Trochilocactus), Vittia (Wittia), vitocactus (Wittiocactus).
- Epiphyllum (Epiphyllum) - found under the name phyllocactus (Phyllocactus), phyllocereus (Phyllocereus).
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- Hilocereus(Hylocereus) - syn. Wilmattea.
- Selenicereus (Selenicereus) - syn. cryptocereus (Cryptocereus), diamia (Deamia), marniera (Marniera), mediocactus (Mediocactus), strophocactus (Strophocactus), strophocereus (Strophocereus).
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- Pseudoripsalis(Pseudorhipsalis).
- Weberocereus(Weberocereus).
These plants are valued both as ornamental-deciduous, sometimes possessing simply fantastically beautiful and unusual stems, and as beautifully flowering, blooming large, and if small, then very abundant flowers. The fruits of some forest cacti are edible (see the article Bulk cactus fruit, for the sake of a tasty fruit called pitahaya, some species of hilocereus are grown on an industrial scale - wavy hylocereus (Hylocereus undatus) and others (for more details, see the article Pitahaya - the amazing fruit of the hilocereus). Some species and varieties are collectible rarities.
The species common in culture are quite unpretentious, they can be content with average care, but in order to reveal all the decorative qualities, it is necessary to create certain conditions for the plants, which are described in detail in the relevant sections of our encyclopedia.
A few general rules for keeping forest cacti
Do not expose plants to low temperatures, for many species it is unacceptable to drop the temperature below + 10 ° C, it is advisable not to exceed the minimum temperature of + 12 ° C. Do not expose to high temperatures, an increase above + 28 ° C may cause stunted growth and disease.
- Give the plant a bright spot, most species need bright, diffused light, some species can spend several hours a day in the sun, but protect from midday rays.
- The primer requires light, moisture-absorbing and at the same time breathable. From ready-made mixtures, soil for bromeliads or aroids with the addition of a medium-sized fraction of bark or perlite is suitable.
- The volume of the pot should be small.
- Watering is required regular and moderate, without bringing to waterlogging or, on the contrary, completely drying out.
- Fertilizers are applied only during the period of active growth and in low doses.
- They are plants of humid forests and prefer high humidity.
- In the annual cycle, there is a small dormant season, at this time it is necessary to provide the plant with a moderately cool and bright room, and reduce watering.
- Hanging baskets or pots work well for growing.
Photo by the author
