Identification: Queen of the night ?

Discussion in 'Indoor and Greenhouse Plants' started by heli, Apr 30, 2011.

  1. heli

    heli Active Member

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    Does anyone know anything about a epiphillium in the Orchid cactus species (I guess) called a Queen of the night. A friend is giving me a start and says that it is related to a Christmas cactus (Zygo?) I have three different species of Orchid cactus and I've looked all over the net and nowhere does it says that the two are related, also it says that Queen of the night is also called night blooming cereus which is a Orchid cactus, right? I've also noticed in some of the pictures that it seems to be more upright growing habit and gets fruit like a Dragon fruit.
     
  2. Junglekeeper

    Junglekeeper Esteemed Contributor 10 Years

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    A quick search on the common name "queen of the night" results in three possiblities in the family Cactaceae:
    • Epiphyllum oxypetalum (gooseneck cactus)
    • Hylocereus undatus (red dragon fruit)
    • Selenicereus grandiflorus (pitaya/yellow dragon fruit)
     
  3. heli

    heli Active Member

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    Yes! Thank you. I did run across those searches as well. So I am correct in thinking that Zygo type cactus is not related to the Orchid cactus. I'm excited to get this new start to add to my collection. The three I have presently have never bloomed for me, any sugestions on that? Thanks again for your help.
     
  4. Junglekeeper

    Junglekeeper Esteemed Contributor 10 Years

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    I suppose Zygocactus, now Schlumbergera, is related to the others in that it is also in the same family. My research on yellow pitaya calls for it to be kept cool in the winter and for almost all water to be withheld to promote flowering. Perhaps that's true for this type of cactus.
     
  5. mandarin

    mandarin Active Member 10 Years

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    It depends on what you mean with "related". They are all cacti, so they are distant relatives as Junglekeeper wrote, but belong to different genera.

    Those common names ...
    "Queen of the night" has been applied to about a dozen different species with big, white, nocturnal flowers, including some Cereus and Echinopsis, so it does not say much. Same thing with "Night-blooming cereus". Totally useless names in my opinion.

    Cultivation is slightly different for the Schlumbergera and Selenicereus/Epiphyllum types, the former do not tolerate dry conditions as well as the latter, for example.

    Do you have any pictures of your plants?
     
  6. heli

    heli Active Member

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    Thanks so much for both of your help, would love to attach photos of the orchid cactus I have so far but I can't figure out how. I printed out the info on how to attach photos but am totaly confused, so sorry!
     
  7. mandarin

    mandarin Active Member 10 Years

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    Press the "Go Advanced" button (under the editor), then you will se the "Advanced Options" frame below the editor. Press "Manage Attachments", browse for the filename and press Upload.
     

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