Epiphyllum hookeri subsp. guatemalense (formerly Epiphyllum guatemalense)

Identity and natural origin of Epiphyllum hookeri subsp. guatemalense (formerly Epiphyllum guatemalense)

Epiphyllum hookeri subsp. guatemalense comes from southern Mexico and parts of Central America, including Guatemala and Honduras, where it grows in wet tropical forests. Epiphyllum guatemalense is an older botanical name for the same subspecies.

Curly Locks is a cultivated monstrose form selected for its twisted, spiralling stems.

Care for the curly form of Epiphyllum hookeri subsp. guatemalense

• Placement: A hanging basket or raised pot gives the twisting stems room to form loops. Leave enough space around the plant for new curls to grow freely.
• Temperature: Keep it warm indoors and away from cold windows, draughts and sudden temperature drops. In a cooler room, let more of the mix dry before watering again.
• Humidity and air: Moderate indoor humidity is fine. Give the curled stems some airflow, especially in warm rooms, because moisture can collect where stems overlap.
• Watering: Soak the mix well and allow excess water to drain away. Water again after the mix has partly dried. Warmer, brighter conditions usually mean more frequent watering.
• Light: Give bright indirect or filtered light. Gentle partial sun is suitable after acclimation; strong midday sun can mark the most exposed bends.
• Substrate: Use a loose mix with chunky bark, pumice, perlite or another coarse material. It should hold some moisture between waterings and stay airy around the roots.
• Propagation: Take healthy pieces from well-formed curled stems and allow the cuts to dry. Root them in a lightly moist, airy mix. Plants grown from cuttings keep the same curls.
• Feeding: Use a dilute balanced cactus fertiliser while new stems are growing, then feed less as growth slows.
• Repotting: It is normal for the roots to fill the pot. Refresh the mix when it becomes dense or drainage slows. Repot if the basket tips easily or the roots become extremely crowded. If a larger pot is needed, move up only one size. Handle the curled stems carefully while repotting.

Common problems with the curly form of Epiphyllum hookeri subsp. guatemalense

• Fresh curls develop dry scars or tears: The stems may be rubbing against a wall, shelf edge or neighbouring growth. Give the basket more clearance and gently separate stems that are pressing together.
• Pale tan patches form on the most exposed bends: The plant has received more direct sun than it is used to. Move it into filtered light and increase sun exposure gradually.
• The stem base becomes soft and dark: Prolonged wetness around the roots can lead to rot. Cut back through the damaged stem with a clean blade until only firm, evenly coloured tissue remains. Discard the rotten pieces and allow the remaining cuts to dry before rooting or replanting them in a fresh coarse mix.
• White cottony insects hide inside the coils: Mealybugs can settle in protected stem folds. Isolate the plant, inspect inside every coil and remove visible pests. Use a treatment labelled for mealybugs and follow the stated repeat interval.
• A mature plant does not bloom: Low light is a common limitation. Move it nearer a well-lit window, increase the filtered light gradually, and feed lightly while new stems develop.

Keep Epiphyllum hookeri subsp. guatemalense 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.

What does Epiphyllum hookeri mean, and who first published it?

Epiphyllum combines Greek epi, meaning upon, with phyllon, meaning leaf. Hookeri honours the British botanist William Jackson Hooker.

Adrian Hardy Haworth established the genus Epiphyllum in 1812 in Synopsis Plantarum Succulentarum, page 197.

Adrian Hardy Haworth first described Epiphyllum hookeri in 1829 in Philosophical Magazine and Annals of Philosophy, new series, volume 6, page 108.

The older name Epiphyllum guatemalense is also widely used for this plant. Nathaniel Lord Britton and Joseph Nelson Rose first described Epiphyllum guatemalense in 1913 in Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 16: 257. Ralf Bauer placed it under Epiphyllum hookeri as Epiphyllum hookeri subsp. guatemalense in 2003 in Cactaceae Systematics Initiatives 17: 25.