Epiphyllum pumilum

Natural range and habitat of Epiphyllum pumilum

Epiphyllum pumilum comes from southern Mexico through Guatemala to Honduras. In the wild it grows on trees in tropical forest with a drier season.

Its roots grow through loose organic material that collects around branches, where they receive both moisture and plenty of air.

Care and flowering of Epiphyllum pumilum

• Basket and root fit: Use a relatively small hanging basket. Flowering often begins once the roots have filled most of the available space.
• Feeding and fresh growth: Feed with a balanced fertiliser as stems develop. After repeated flowering, light pruning and feeding can encourage new stems that can flower later.
• Watering: During fast growth, give it a thorough drink, then let surplus water run out of the basket. Let the mix partly dry before watering again, and water less as growth slows.
• Light and warmth: Give bright filtered light with some gentle sun. Keep it warm while growth is strong and protect it from low temperatures.
• Substrate: Use a loose, well-draining mix that holds some moisture and includes coarse bark, pumice or similar material to keep air around the roots.
• Repotting: If the plant is flowering well, leave it in its current basket. After several rounds of flowers, moving it into a larger basket can encourage new stems. Flowering can return as the roots fill the new space. Replace the mix when it starts to break down, or repot if the plant starts tipping over or the basket no longer feels stable.
• Humidity: Average indoor humidity is usually fine. Good airflow helps in warm rooms.
• Propagation: Take stem cuttings, dry the cut ends for a few days, then root them in an airy mix. Grow them until the roots fill the pot.

Troubleshooting Epiphyllum pumilum

• The basket fills with stems but stays flowerless: The basket may still be too large for the roots, or the position may be too dim. If there is still plenty of unused pot space, leave the plant in the same basket and let the roots fill more of it. For low light, move the basket closer to a well-lit window in stages, keeping harsh midday sun off the stems.
• Flowering becomes sparse after several rounds of blooms: Each spot on a stem flowers only once. Encourage new stems with light pruning and balanced feeding, or move the plant into a larger basket to promote more stem growth.
• Stems wrinkle while the mix is dry: Water thoroughly and let the basket drain completely. Wait until the mix has lost some moisture before watering again.
• The stem base becomes soft, dark or translucent: Too much moisture around the roots has caused rot. Unpot the plant and trace the soft area back to healthy tissue. Slice off every affected section with a clean tool, discard it, let the cuts dry and root the healthy stem sections in a fresh coarse mix.
• Dry pale patches develop on the upper side of stems: Light exposure has increased too quickly. Move the plant out of harsh direct sun and bring it back into brighter light gradually.

Keep Epiphyllum pumilum 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 Epiphyllum pumilum come from?

Epiphyllum combines Greek epi, meaning upon, with phyllon, meaning leaf. The epithet pumilum is Latin for dwarf or small.

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

Nathaniel Lord Britton and Joseph Nelson Rose first described Epiphyllum pumilum in 1913 in Contributions from the United States National Herbarium, volume 16, page 258.