Showing posts with label epiphyllum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label epiphyllum. Show all posts

Thursday, February 11, 2016

What's blooming. 2.11.16

Epiphyllum NOID cactus in bud.  2.11.16

Helleborus.  2.11.16
 In february there isn't much blooming here.

In the sunroom, an epiphyllum I picked up for a dollar or two, a couple of years ago at Home Depot.  I didn't know or expect for it to bloom, but there are the flower buds.

Some of the Epiphyllum orchids are blooming in the sunroom.

Helleborus are blooming around the yard.  This one was a volunteer seedling I moved last year from the old yard.
Dendrobium.  2.11.16

Dendrobium.  2.11.16

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Epiphyllum in bloom. Bunga bakawali / Tan hua. 9.21.14

Epiphyllum oxypetallum.  9.21.14

Epiphyllum oxypetallum.  9.21.14 
 The annual blooming of the "bunga bakawali".  This year was the first time at the Battleground place.  I've been keeping it on the east side of the house, watering about every other week.

Unlike past bloom seasons, this time the flowers have opened one at a time.  Which is nice, because I missed some of them, so I had opportunity to catch this one.  The flower was fully open at 10:30pm, and starting to close by 5am.

Prior posts describe this plant, known in Southeast Asia as Bunga bakawali and in China as Tuan hua.  It's very beautiful.  The fleeting moment of beauty is a lot like life in general.

Adding to the other info I posted, is this from wikipedia:  "
In India it is called Brahma Kamalam, named after the Hindu god of creation, Lord Brahma. It is also believed that the wishes of People who pray to God while the flower is blooming will be fulfilled....

The Chinese chengyu (four character idiom) 曇花一現 (tan hua yi xian) uses this flower (tan-hua; 曇花) to describe someone who has an impressive but very brief moment of glory, like a "flash in a pan", since the flower can take a year to bloom and only blooms over a single night. Therefore someone described as "曇花一現" is generally understood to be a person who shows off or unexpectedly gains some achievement and is thought to be an exception or only lucky. The flower also has a rich history in Japan, where it is known as the 月下美人 (Gekka Bijin) or "Beauty under the Moon".
Epiphyllum oxypetallum. 9.21.14

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Annual flowering of the Tan Hua, or Bunga Bakawali

More accurately, it is an Epiphyllum oxypetallum, jungle-dwelling cacti that live on tree branches and rocky outcrops far above the forest floor.

This cactus was started from a cutting, given to me by a friend. Her mother brought it to the US from Hong Kong when she emigrated. The only name that she knew was "Chinese cactus", although in reality, it's not Chinese. They originate in Mexico, central America, and Brazil. The exact origin is uncertain. They have naturalized in South Asia and Southeast Asia. This species blooms once annually. The flowers open once, during the night, then whither in the early morning and die. Their extravagant, sensual appearance, and ephemeral character, are symbolic of how beautiful, and brief, life can be.

They are grown in southern China, where they are known as Tuan Hua. Here is an article about a neighborhood in Taipei, gathering to watch one open. There it is known as "Tan Hua Yi Xian" (A Flower That Vanishes as Soon as It Appears)

I've brought it inside each winter, and leave in on the North side of the house each summer. Last year it had only 2 blossoms. The year before, it hnad a fungal infection and most of it died. This Spring I transferred it to a larger pot. The growth medium is Miracle Grow potting soil. It's growing nicely. Not a compact plant, it takes a lot of room. Fortunately, we have the space. It's easy to grow from cuttings. One small section broke off this summer. I kept walking past it thinking, "Maybe I should pot that up". Finally, feeling sorry for it after 2 or 3 weeks, I did. After 3 weeks, that section is now growing and has added a new leaf-pad, larger than the original cutting.

In South Asia and Malasia this flower is known as the Bunga Bakawali. The blossom is supposedly controlled by a night spirit, but this must be a fairly obscure legend, I could only find hints of it in a google search. I a reader of this blog knows more, I would love to hear the story.

For members of the diaspora from Southern China and Southeast Asia, the Bunga Bakawali can be a living reminder of their origin. "It was when she said that I understood everything. This flower reminded her of that distant childhood she once had, the innocent little child she once was, and most importantly, the people she truly misses, her mother, her sisters"


At 5pm, the "Dutchman's pipe" stage. The buds are starting to swell.

At 830pm. Even at this stage, they are quite beautiful.

Fully open at 10pm. This year the fragrance fills the night sky. It's raining, but this plant is in a sheltered location away from the rain.

Also at 10pm. This doesn't quite match the legend of opening exactly at midnight, but it will be open then as well. It may be confused by the time zone, of course.

8am. Having had their moment in the night, the blossoms close again. Three did not open last night, so will be expected to open tonight. That doesn't quite match the one-night-per-year legend either, but close enough.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Epihyllum forst bloom




This hybrid epi was purchased as a rooted cutting 2 years ago. This is the first bloom. The variety is "Piccolo". It opened last night, and is still open now, 24 hours later, so the bloosom has more staying power compared to the one-night-stand of Epiphyllum oxypetallum.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

'Oversummering"

Here's a thought. Some plants are grown for their summer appearance, and ave overwintered in order to maintain them for the next year. Or at least, to have new and larger specimens the next year, and save money.

Others are grown for their winter appearance, indoors. They can be oversummered. In this case, oversummering is a chance to grow them larger and more lush. This is in contraast to overwintering, which is basically keeping them dormant or at least not growing rapidly.

Most are left in a shady place or northern exposure, since they aren't really designed for full sun. Some may have started their species as under-story plants in the forest. The epiphytic cacti were suited for growing high in the trees, wlthough there may have been higher branches shading them (speculation on my part). Even plants designed for full sun, were not designed by nature to grow in containers, where they are more likely to dry out and become sunburned. Leaving them in protected locations, they don't need quite as much attention.

These are sort of accidental houseplants. Looking around the yard, I found a tulbagia ("Society garlic") that survived last winter in the ground. The oxalis is somewhat tender but somehow escaped into the bean garden. Today I potted up both, to see how they will do in containers again. This photo is basically a 'before' picture.

Some cactus cuttings. These fell off of the Brasilopuntia when I repotted it. This is all it takes to start them.

One year old epiphullum hybrid. It's increased in size, no flower buds yet.

Another epiphyllum hybrid. Same story as the other one.

Here's an aloe that I bought last week at an estate sale. It wasn't labeled for sale. Some poor old soul had left it in a corner of the house and it hadn't been thrown away yet. For 50 cents, something different for the window.

This is like the Carly Simon song, "Anticipation". Epiphyllum oxypetallum, see prior entries. I think it will bloom in a few days. I hope that I dont miss it!

Sanseveria, about to bloom.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Deck Plants Progress Notes

Today is the day for progress notes.

I have been diligent about keeping the deck plants watered. They are on the North side of the house, although some receive either full sun or morning and evening sun.

Most of these were overwintered by "cheap+easy" methods - click on labels below for that history.

Epiphyllum bud - looks like this will be the only bud. It's growing rapidly. It looks like buds form on secondary branches. Since it grew substantially, but most growth involved production of primary stems, the promise is for next year. Behind the epiphyllum is a clivia in bud. They have been blooming nicely this summer, too.

There are also 2 hybrid epiphyllums. They were bought last year as rooted cuttings. They are growing, but I doubt that they will bloom this year.

I suspected that this Euphorbia "Burgundy Wine" was dead. It was overwintered dry, in the garage.

Cannas, now blooming. They seem to like container growth, and overwintering inside. This is the best that they have grown and bloomed.

More cannas.

Euphorbia splendens. I've always thought of this as a house plant. It's doing nicely outside, with more flowers than it has had before.

There have been occasional brugmansia blossoms. I think that the best is yet to come, wtih more buds forming now. Very fragrant in the evening.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Overwintering

This room has a south-facing window. It is not used so the heat is turned off. The temperature is usually in the 50s on cold days. Some of the heat is solar, some due to adjacent hallway. The Clivia miniata (lower right corner) are in their "2 months without water" phase. Here is the Royal Horticultural Society info on clivia culture (most of the other websites use the common name which I read is quite offensive). The banana and gingers are watered a little each week, about 2 cups of water each. Lower left, a citrus from seed and Meyer lemon, also minimal watering. Other plants with the same treatment include the Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Brazilopuntia, Aloe vera, scented geranium, and small Brugmansia.


Overwintering using the "warm sunny" method. In the home office windowsill, also south facing but warmer (usually 60s to 70s depending on the sun) are some additional cacti, a Hippaestrum that finished blooming, some Schlumbergera, and additional succulants.

Sunday, December 09, 2007

Overwintering. Dark, cool & dry vs. light, not as cool, and not as dry

This dracaena and trailing pelargonium are overwintering, dry, dark, in the garage. It is attached so doesn't freeze.
The brugmansia overwintered in this spot last year, same garage. The cannas were dug up this tijme because several died or did very poorly with overwintering outside last year. Some pelargonia and zantedeschia are overwintering in this situation as well. The more tender zantedeschia dont survive winter here, but take to the dry/dark/cool method very well.
This is the spare bedroom that, until a month ago, had a carpeted floor. You cant see the spot here, but there is a 1X3 foot plywood patch on one side. The rest is a nice hardwood oak floor, full thickness tongue and groove oak. I need to get saucers under a couple of pots (as soon as I finish this posting). The cacti (Epiphyllum and a coujple of opuntia) should be OK here since they have wintered for several years in the room. The citrus are a bit anemic but as long as they survive, that's OK. There is also a small brugmansia - we'll see how it does, a cavendish banana - last year it died down to the container, and I would like to keep more of it alive if possible. An aloe, and two gingers are also present. the gingers may be OK outside or in the garage, but i wanted to see if I could maintain them green for a head start next year.
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Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Update

No photos today.

Weekend in Quincy IL. Things look stable there.

Interesting - growing up there, everyone had a backyard garden. I didn't see any this time.

Back in vancouver, lots of beans on Ning's Chinese Bean vines. There have been several batches to eat.

Grapes are "almost" there. Sour but starting to sweeten up.

Roses are blooming nicely.

Another bud on the Epiphyllum.

There have been 3 breba figs plus one main crop fig on the petite negri. None yet on the others.
Too much going on otherwise. I hope that I can weed and prune a little this weekend.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Epiphyllum 10pm

The elusive, night blooming cactus. Once annually. If you are not watching for it, it's gone.
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Epiphyllum oxypetalum flower

I think that one flower already bloomed last night and I missed it. The other one is blooming now. Amazing, this cactus lost so much mass due to illness this year, and bloomed anyway. What an amazing looking flower. First photo is 5 pm, second photo is at 9 pm.
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Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Epiphyllum flower buds

This cactus was nearly completely denuded by some type of illness that made most of the sections become brown and crispy. I removed the dead parts, which was most of the cactus. One of the few remaining sections looks like it might bloom. Does it have the energy?
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Monday, August 14, 2006

Epiphyllum oxypetallum "night blooming cereus"




The blossoms opened completely at 11 pm. Fragrant, amazing to look at. By 5 am they were nearly closed, now fully closed.

I did try to pollinate 2 of the blossoms. Curious to see if they make fruit.

Vitals:
Bike to work. Today, 9 miles each way (same as yesterday).
Wt 209. BP 128/87. HR 76 Posted by Picasa

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Tan Hua Kai Lei: Night Blooming Cactus Epiphyllum oxypetalum



Looks like it will bloom tonight. Auspicious in Taiwan.

Grown from a cutting - a gift from a colleague. This cactus was more or less neglected last winter in a South window. It was moved to a sheltered north & eastern location outside this Summer. More expert instructions are available.

I'll need to get up at various times tonight to see what happens. Photos to be posted tomorrow if the flowers open. Posted by Picasa