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Please post your comments for this month topic here ...picture doesn´t match the topic all together very well - but it was the closed it could get to the atmosphere of forest growing cacti

Soooooo can we post Agaves/Aloe?

Alber khan wrote:Soooooo can we post Agaves/Aloe?

As far as I can understand this it should be leafelike or epiphytic cacti. That leaves Aloes and Agavas pot of it. But it is tempting, isn't it? That big Agave in the centre of that pic.

majcka wrote:

Alber khan wrote:Soooooo can we post Agaves/Aloe?

As far as I can understand this it should be leafelike or epiphytic cacti. That leaves Aloes and Agavas pot of it. But it is tempting, isn't it? That big Agave in the centre of that pic.

I wanted to ask because I don't have any epis or leaflike cacti

Does that include Mammillaria's as epiphytic cacti too then Jens? LOL

Scroll from top to bottom of this link for Mammillaria flavicentra:-

http://www.xericworld.com/forums/showthread.php?p=31241" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Is this just for species, or are hybrids allowed since few these days grow many of the species?

Hello people, I´d think aloe species would be a little far off in this topic since they are not cacti, but a palm tree with a nice epiphytic Mammillaria could be a valid entry (especially if it such a nice shot from Habitate as in DaveW´s link ).

We thought it was a nice topic for people growing and flowering those species from the warmer climates in the house. Of course habitate pictures would be more than welcome too.
Have fun posting.

I had no idea that there were epiphytic mammillaria's. That is just too cool!

Seed has to germinate where it falls and either live or die. There are a few usually terrestrial cacti that have been found growing in detritus on trees but this cannot really be regarded as their normal habitat, anymore than growing in a small container of soil called a plant pot can, even though once rooted there they may thrive.

One species of a normally terrestrial genus that unexpectedly does usually grow on trees is Trichocereus arboricola (it's specific name means "living on trees").

http://www.sib.gov.ar/ficha/PLANTAE*tri ... arboricola" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

How about something like this?

No Danny. This is not an epyphytic cactus. That big one IS NOT a tree.

Epiphyte Maja means "upon a plant", not upon a tree, meaning it simply grows on another plant! Therefore that qualifies, but I think the competition should be restricted to normally epiphytic plants?

Surprising though some of the stuff you think would be epiphytic often is lithophilic unlike it's related species, growing on rocks in habitat rather than plants. I believe Schlumbergera microsphaerica is one of these as it grows above the treeline, though it's relative S. opuntioides grows in the forest at lower altitudes below it:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schlumberg ... osphaerica" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The habitats of S. microsphaericus:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pico_das_Agulhas_Negras" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pico_da_Bandeira" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Shame the neighbours Hylocereus isn't in bloom at the moment! Though a jungle plant like that growing in a drought tollerant tree like a gumtree does make for a bit of a contrast.

Two beautiful photo entries and an interesting discussion about epiphytic growth, thanks for the input everybody.
In my opinion we could also widen this month topic to epiphytic cacti of all kinds. Even if their stems dont grow leaflike -after all some species of Ripsalis have more roundish and not leaflike stems either.
Keep the entries coming guys and girls.

http://media3.picsearch.com/is?dJ2IQc8u ... height=256" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Quite an interesting story how this species of opuntia was found , it shows perfectly the enormous capability of certain cacti to adapt to a broad variety of dry places, thanks for posting MJPapay!

Lots'o leaves!