Epiphyllum. A (tiny) new obsession.

Plants okay with a little neglect?

It's probably a good idea while I live out of a suitcase at mom's in order to keep her out of a nursing home.  My plants at home are not doing so well. Throwing water at them before rushing back has gotten a few by. Just. I'll deal with it later or start over. A few of the most precious found their way down here with me. For some it was too late. 

I'll be honest: I want to go home...

Christmas Cactus have been grown and passed around the family for as long as I can remember. Mom has one from her mother that's big enough to need 2 people to carry it outside for the summer. It should be repotted. I'm a little terrified of touching it.

The ones that bloom for Thanksgiving I always assumed were just over achievers. Turns out "holiday cactus" is a theme. My brother gave me an Easter Cactus for my birthday a couple years ago. I about killed it deciding I needed to repot it immediately. (I probably didn't!) 

It has recovered, if not yet ever bloomed again. I'm hopeful. Even if Easter has long since passed.

I've bought a few cuttings of Epiphyllum to take root. They can live in the greenhouse once it warms enough. For now I'll watch them from mom's.

Epiphyllum Hybrid:

"AGATHA" Has a Large bloom with light rose-pink and a red throat, rounded petals, bell form, flat sturdy growth can be adapted to basket growth but upright at first when young, good bloomer. Reg.#5591

"BOLD VENTURE" Has an extra large bloom bright orange, wide purple edge. Opens wide. Full cup form. Hybridized by FOB. Reg.#05644

"PEGASUS"  Has a Extra Large bloom with purple and a red-orange mid-stripe, outer petals edged with bronzy violet. Medium to wide flat basket growth, somewhat upright growth on first year stems. Fast grower depending on conditions. Great bloomer! Reg.#5719

Species: 

SELENICEREUS ANTHONYANUS - Also commonly called (Ric Rac Cactus) or (Fishbone Orchid Cactus) Very unusual with fishbone like leaves, and very easy to grow! Same care as Epis. The growth is flat but deeply lobed and deep green. The large spectacular blooms have inner petals that are soft creamy-yellow and the outer petals are deep maroon, radiating and narrow. The contrast is stunning, and very fragrant too! The blooms are nocturnal and start to open about dusk in late spring/summer. Frost sensitive and will freeze, but makes for a wonderful house plant too in a hanging basket. There are a few variants of this species so some blooms can be slightly different one variant to another.

UPDATE: It's been a few weeks since I started this post. My mom left us in the early hours of Mother's Day. I take comfort in knowing a promise was kept, no matter how impossible it seemed some days (and nights). She stayed at home. My sister Nola was killed by a reckless 19 yo driver in 1983. My mom lived with a broken heart until it finally gave out. Nola's voice told me she was ready to wrap her arms around our precious mama once more. It was her turn to care for her. I picked up heart shaped rocks by the bucketful this last year. 

Go ahead.  Arrange and rearrange the stones on your beloved's grave.

Keep arranging those stones for as long as it hurts to do it, then stop, just before you really want to.

Put the last stone on and walk away. Then light your candles for the living.

Say your prayers for the living. Give your flowers to the living. 

Leave the stones where they are, but take your heart with you. 

Your heart is not a stone. 

From the book Here If You Need Me a true story by Kate Braestrup

Yesterday was my birthday. My Easter Cactus is covered in buds. 

It's 2 a.m.  I'm back at dad's house. He's fallen twice this week and is unable to get himself up. Not sure where things go from here.  I'm going to put a DVD in an fall asleep to The Martian. Or maybe Fly Away Home.