Orchid Cactus

Latin name Epiphylum, the orchid cactus is a totally bizarre plant with umpteen species. I first met this plant over 20 years ago at the San Diego Wild Country Safari where they keep a grow house filled with these guys hanging in baskets. My mom half-heartedly collects them. This one came from her garden; it just finished blooming.

I read one account this is a totally man-made plant hybridizing jungle plants with new world desert - don't know if that's true as the UC Botanical Garden now features a few in the Arid House.

For years, most of the flowers were a shade of yellow, other colors were rare and hard to breed. This one came to me when a friend's Auntie died; the plant must be about 20 years old.

I have one that only blooms at night, a present from my friend Lin who collects and breeds cymbidiums, hence the somewhat foggy photo. I tried to get my neighbor Janet over to see it last summer, but it started at 9:30 at night and lights were out. The next night, it had pooped. I found reference to "the moon flower" in the Two Gardeners (editor Emily Wilson), letters between Katharine White (E.B.White's wife) and Elizabeth Lawrence. Great book!

The flower is short lived, 1 - 3 days, fragrant, and exotic.