Epiphyllum hookeri. The Hooker's Orchid Cactus is often confused with another epiphyllum, the "Night Blooming Cereus." Although their long strappy leaves look virtually the same, these are two different plants! Both are beautiful!

Epiphyllums in Zone 8B should be grown in baskets or pots so they can be brought inside over the winter. Actually they will do OK outside most of the time in the cold months but freezing temps do not agree with them.

The stems can get quite long, so don't be afraid to cut them back...and new shoots will usually develop just behind the cut. As for the stems you cut back, just stick them in moist soil and soon you will have a new rooted plant! Hooker's Orchid Cactus will reward you with these gorgeous fragrant flowers off and on throughout the growing season.

Starting a plant from a cutting:

"Epies" are easily grown from cuttings. Just follow these simple steps from the Epiphyllum Society of America:

1. Obtain a cutting approximately 6-8 inches long. You can plant it in its entirety or you can cut it in half to make 2 cuttings. If desired, apply root promoting hormone to the end to be planted.
2. Cure the cutting in a cool, dry, dark place for at least ten days to let a callus form over the cut.
3. Use a relatively small pot, no larger than 4 inches across. Epies like to be slightly rootbound.
4. When planting, hold the cutting in the empty pot with two or more areoles below the soil line. Add potting mix around the cutting till the cutting can stand on its own. Do not compress the mix.
5. WITHHOLD WATER for two weeks. (Optional - mist the cutting every few days. Don't soak the soil.) Once the cutting begins to root and shows some new growth, begin to water. From then on, never let the mix become bone dry. Let water run out of the drain holes every time you water. Continue misting, if you choose. Though epies are members of the cactus family, their needs differ from those of desert cacti.