A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 clipping from a Epiphyllum oxypetalum

Hi All,
A friend of mine has a clipping from a Epiphyllum oxypetalum (dutchman's pipe) he has it sitting in water is this way to start it? he was given the clipping but no directions on what to do with it.

Myrna,

Tell your friend to take the cutting out of water before it rots, let it scab over for a day or two, then pot it just below moistened soil surface in a small pot using orchid mix. Don't worry if the cutting doesn't stand up straight - you don't want to bury it too deeply. Hmmm, now that I think of it, just laying it atop the soil will probably work too but I haven't tried that myself yet. Epis are very easy to root.

Place the pot in a sunny window and let dry out before watering again. Be very careful not to overwater.

For more information click here and if you have further questions let me know.

Myrna,

Epis are very easy to root. I've found it difficult to actually kill epis (getting them to bloom is a little trickier), short of not watering them or letting them freeze. I believe that in their natural habitat, they are creepers, and they send out roots along almost any stem.

Take a cutting and just stick it into the soil. Keep the soil moist, and it'll root. I've had cuttings in water for almost a year, and they're still alive. (I've been meaning to pot them up and give them away, but I haven't had time, and I can't bear to let a cutting just die.) They won't thrive or flower by any means, but they'll survive.

As far as soil goes, a faster draining soil is better. Something that holds water better than cactus/succulent soil, but drains a little faster than regular potting soil. If all you have is regular potting soil, it should be ok. Like I mentioned before, it's hard to kill epis.

thank you all for your advice. I will you all posted.