Orchid Cactus

Common name: Orchid cactus, Jungle cactus, Night blooming cereus, Dutchman's Pipe • Marathi: ब्रह्मकमल Brahma kamal
Botanical name: Epiphyllum oxypetalum Family: Cactaceae (cactus family)
Epiphyllum oxypetalum is by far the most popular and widely cultivated species from this genus of cacti. Orchid cactus blooms at night, since the flowers are predominantly pollinated by bats and large moths. They have large white star-like flowers to help their pollinators locate the blossoms by moon or star light, and many have very lovely fragrances. Pure white flowers, the size of a dinner plate, open as soon as the sun goes down and stay open all night, closing in the morning. Stems are erect, climbing or sprawling, profusely branched, primary stems cylindrical, to 2-6 m long, flattened laterally. Secondary stems (which look like leaves) are flat, elliptic-acuminate, to 30 cm x 10-12 cm, thin; margins shallowly crenate and wavy. Flowers are produced from flattened portions, to 30 cm long, 12-17 cm wide, nocturnal, very fragrant. Fruit is oblong, 12 x 8 cm, purplish red, angled. Epiphyllums are indeed true cacti, but are more often labeled as "Epicacti" or "jungle cacti" to differentiate them from related desert flora. Many plant lovers also call them "orchid cacti" because of the very large and colorful flowers. The great size and shape of the flowers, as well as their often intoxicatingly sweet fragrance, comes from the wild Epiphyllum genes, but the amazing colors mostly come from other cactus genera that have been cross-bred into the hybrid epiphyllums.