How to Propagate Epiphyllum

Epiphyllums are epiphytic, or tree-dwelling, cacti. These unusual plants are native to the jungles of Mexico, Central and South America. The stems are usually flat but sometimes triangular-shaped. This spineless cactus produces blossoms 1 inch to 12 inches long, in white, orange-red, red, scarlet, purplish-red, green and gold. Epiphyllums grow in the forks of trees and rock crevices where they cling to the surface with their roots and collect moisture from the air with their branches.

Sharp knife
Small plant pot
Bleach
Epiphyllum
Peat moss
Shredded bark
Sand
Rooting hormone powder
Bamboo stake
Spray bottle

Instructions

- 1
  Sterilize a sharp knife and your small plant pot in a solution of one part bleach and nine parts water. Cut a stem tip that is 6 to 12 inches long with a sharp knife.
- 2
  Place the cutting in a cool, dark place and let it dry for one to two weeks. The end of the stem will callous over, which prevents rot when the cutting is planted and watered.
- 3
  Mix together one part peat moss, six parts shredded bark and one part sand. Fill the plant pot with your potting mixture. Sprinkle the mix with water and let the soil settle. Top the plant pot off with more potting mixture.
- 4
  Coat the cut end of the cutting with rooting hormone powder. Insert the cutting into the potting mixture. Place a bamboo stake next to the cutting and tie it to the stake. Do not water the cutting for two weeks.
- 5
  Spray the epiphyllum every 3 to 5 days to keep the soil moist. Leave the cutting in its rooting container for at least a year. Repot the cutting into a larger container once it becomes root-bound.

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