rhipsalis

[elodiem]

hello to everyone

I bought this small plant from a supermarket. It seems happy as it has been growing long shoots. From the forum, I gathered it might be a variety of Rhipsalis. Now the problem is : it was very compact when I bought it, with stems branching out very close to the soil. Now, the new stems are long and do not seem to branch out. What do I do? It's in sunshine in a conservatory, and so doesn't suffer from sun deprivation. Shouid I prune it? Should I just leave it? Will it look untidy like this for a long time? Thanks for your answers

Bonus photo to thank you : praying mantis on aloe

elodiem

[ivor cereus]

Rhipsalis Cereuscula I also have this plant, it grows long shoots from which small white flowers appear followed by small berries (i think they are white too like a miniature misseltoe) it mentions this plant in a book called 'the cactus handbook' by Erik Haustein

[greenknight]

Rhipsalis cereuscula does look likely, though it's hard to be certain based on that photo.

Anyway, it was probably grown in a greenhouse where it received the maximum amount of light it could take, causing very compact growth. This allows many of them to be shipped in a carton, and saves shelf space at the store, but it's not the natural growth habit - they are trailing plants, suitable for hanging baskets. Also, it's putting out air roots from those new stems, trying to find a new place to root down - it needs a larger pot.

[elodiem]

Thanks a lot, my question has been thoroughly answered! so I'll leave it as it is - except I'm going to re-pot it as advised above - and look for the flowers and berries! Best regards to all of you! many thanks

[DaveW]

Rhipsalis of course are rain forest epiphytic cacti and not "Other Succulents". Many of that type of Rhipsalis produce those long stems from the original compact growth. It is not etiolation as it would be in many cacti, but perfectly normal growth. They will then form more compact growth on the top of those long stems rather like a tree with branches and out of them another long stem may emerge to do the same again. In habitat they hang down trees and can reach six feet long by this method. As they get larger they are best grown in a hanging pot or basket to let the stems hang down normally, as in the following video:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyz7SHcNzrc

To give you an idea as what these plants like Rhipsalis and Schlumbergera grow in habitat that is very different to terrestrial cacti and more like Orchids see:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7jYUxglNWY

[Pereskiopsisdotcom]

Rhipsalis cereuscula does look likely, though it's hard to be certain based on that photo.

Anyway, it was probably grown in a greenhouse where it received the maximum amount of light it could take, causing very compact growth. This allows many of them to be shipped in a carton, and saves shelf space at the store, but it's not the natural growth habit - they are trailing plants, suitable for hanging baskets. Also, it's putting out air roots from those new stems, trying to find a new place to root down - it needs a larger pot.

Agreed! Altman Plants and Costa Farms sell these as tightly compact plants from recent cuttings and ship them all over the world. They are easy to grow from cuttings or seed though. I attach my plants in plastic pots to wire that is framed on the wall. They get indirect and leftover light that the other cacti get from grow lights, closely mimicking what they receive in nature. My soil is an airy mix of coconut coir, orchid bark, sand, and sphagnum moss. They are thriving as they cascade out of the pots and I am consistently taking new healthy cuttings.