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Known as santa teresa pen is a crass plant that belongs to the genus Epiphyllum, which is formed by more than 20 species of epiphytic cacti that have their origin in several countries of America. Besides those species, there are many hybrids and varieties. It also receives other names such as orchid cactus, smelly reed or nopalillo, although the official one is epiphyllum.
It is a hanging plant with wide and long stems that usually have small spines on the areoles, although not always. It has beautiful, almost trumpet-shaped flowers, with many petals that can be pink, white or red, or even a small combination of them. Depending on the species chosen, it can bloom during the day or at night. In this Green Ecologist article we show which are the care of the pen of Santa Teresa.
Main care of the Santa Teresa pen
- Location: It is mainly used as a houseplant, so it is best to keep it in a well-ventilated place, but not cold. It cannot be placed next to stoves or radiators. It is also important that it is in semi-shade. During the summer it can be outside but without receiving the sun's rays directly.
- Temperature: the only requirement it has in this regard is that it cannot be below 5ºC.
- I usually: the perfect one for this plant is the one that has a mixture, in equal parts, of leaf mulch and coarse sand. The substrate for cacti is also valid.
- Irrigation: you have to apply it abundantly throughout the year but without flooding. Reduce watering between fall and winter.
- Pass: When the first buds begin to appear, apply a cactus fertilizer every 15 days until the flowering stage is complete.
- Plagues and diseases: if the summer is very dry there is a good chance that it will be attacked by woolly mealybugs or spider mites. Be careful that water collects on the stems as they could rot.
- Multiplication: the best option is to do it by cuttings, since the seeds would take years to germinate.
If you want to read more articles similar to Caring for the Santa Teresa pen, we recommend that you enter our category of Cultivation and care of plants.
