Disocactus ( Epiphyllum ) anguliger

The zigzag cactus of Mexican forests

Disocactus anguliger is native to central and southwestern Mexico. Charles Lemaire described it in 1851 as Phyllocactus anguliger, and it moved to Disocactus in 2016. The older name Epiphyllum anguliger is still common in horticulture. Its deeply lobed, flattened stems explain the names fishbone cactus and zigzag cactus.

This forest cactus grows on trees in seasonal tropical vegetation. Its roots settle into bark crevices and small pockets of organic matter on branches. Intermittent rain drains quickly, surrounding leaves soften the strongest sunlight and air moves freely around the exposed stems. The broad, leaf-like growth is closely linked to this Mexican forest habitat.

Care for trailing growth and epiphytic roots

Humidity and airflow

Ordinary household humidity is usually sufficient. Give the dense hanging crown gentle airflow and let water drain from the stem joints after rinsing.

Light

Place the Fishbone Cactus close to an east-facing window or a short distance from a brighter south or west exposure. Gentle morning or late sun is normally tolerated after gradual acclimation.

Watering

Water when the upper third of the mix has dried and the pot feels noticeably lighter, then soak the entire root ball and drain it. Its forest-epiphyte roots need more regular moisture than a desert cactus, especially as new segments extend, but they still decline in stagnant wet substrate.

Temperature

Active growth is strongest steady indoor warmth. Stable conditions are valuable once buds appear because abrupt moves can cause them to drop.

Fertilising

Apply balanced fertiliser at a low dose during active segment growth and bud development. Use a lower-nitrogen or flowering formula once mature growth is forming buds, without overfeeding.

Zigzags, drooping stems and real damage

• Flat stems form deep zigzag lobes: The fishbone outline is normal for Disocactus anguliger. Young shoots may point upward before their weight makes them arch and trail, so this change is not wilting by itself.
• Segments become thin, limp or wrinkled: Check below the surface before watering. A dry root ball needs a thorough drink, while a damp pot with worsening wrinkles suggests root loss; in that case, inspect the roots and reroot healthy segments if root loss is present.
• The base turns brown-black and soft: Prolonged damp has probably started rot. Cut above the affected tissue with a clean blade, let healthy cuttings dry briefly and restart them in a loose, bark-rich cactus mix; our jungle-cactus guide explains why desert treatment is a poor fit.
• Creamy tan patches appear after a move: Abrupt direct sun can scorch the broad green stems. Shift the plant to filtered light and increase exposure gradually; a firm dry scar is permanent but stable, while a soft spreading mark needs removal.

Keep Disocactus (Epiphyllum) anguliger away from children and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs.
• Its effects after chewing or swallowing are unclear, and plant material can still cause an upset stomach.
• Contact a veterinarian or medical professional if symptoms develop or do not settle.

Where does the name Disocactus anguliger come from?

Disocactus combines Greek dis, meaning twice, and isos, meaning equal, with cactus, referring to the two similar sets of floral segments. The epithet anguliger means angle-bearing and refers to the sharply angled stem segments.

John Lindley established the genus Disocactus in 1845 in Edwards’s Botanical Register, volume 31, plate 9.

Charles Lemaire first described it as Phyllocactus anguliger in 1851 in Le Jardin Fleuriste, volume 1, plate 92. Miguel Ángel Cruz and Salvador Arias Montes later placed it in Disocactus as Disocactus anguliger in 2016 in Willdenowia, volume 46, page 157.