Selenicereus

Family. Cactaceae.

Origin. Central America, Mexico.

Description. Selenicereus or the queen of the night is an amazing cactus with long, thin, climbing, branched, green stems that sometimes produce aerial roots. In its natural environment it behaves like an epiphyte or lithophyte. The areoles with spines are located quite sparsely, the ribs are poorly expressed. The flowers are luxurious, with numerous white, yellow or pink petals and often have a very pleasant vanilla-like aroma, opening for just one night. The outer petals may be yellow or reddish.

Height. The stems reach a length of 10 m.

Home care

Temperature conditions

Normal room temperature during the growing season and cool in the winter. Do not expose the plant to temperatures below 5°C.

Lighting

Place the cactus in a brightly lit area. The flower can take sunbathing in the morning and evening; during the day, organize shading from scorching rays. Additional illumination with fluorescent lamps is possible. 

Care

Selenicereus is not as difficult to grow indoors as it seems. Give it plenty of space to develop and periodically tame too long shoots. Over time, branches may require support.

Substrate

Unlike most cacti, it requires sufficiently nutritious, porous soil with a high organic content. And of course, the soil must have excellent drainage.

Feeding

Feed monthly during the warm season with fertilizers for cacti and succulents at half strength. Some species grow throughout the year, depending on temperature conditions, in which case they need to be fed in winter. 

Purpose

A large cactus with huge, very showy flowers.

Flowering time

Selenicereus blooms mainly in late spring or early summer, individual flower buds appear on large specimens at any time of the year.

Air humidity

When the indoor air becomes too dry and the temperature is high enough, selenicereus will need to be sprayed with warm and soft water. 

Soil moisture

Requires regular watering during the warm season. In winter, when kept cool, watering is reduced to a minimum. Just try not to dry out the soil. For irrigation, it is advisable to use soft bottled water at room temperature.

Transfer

Repot Selenicereus in spring if you need to change the soil or if the pot has become too small for the plant.

Reproduction

It is quite simply propagated by stem cuttings about 15 cm long, rooted in moist peat with sand. The cut area is dried to avoid rotting. Seeds. 

Pests and diseases

Cacti rot when water stagnates, especially in autumn and winter. 

Red mites, mealybugs, thrips and aphids sometimes appear. 

Note

Protect your hands with gloves to avoid scratches caused by the sharp spines of selenicereus.