I've had this plant for at least 35 years. It was given to me by my friends
Ginny and Chris Gartlein in Ithaca, NY. It blossomed the year after I got it, and then did not blossom for many years, but ugly as it was, the memory of that one wonderful blossom made me keep it - that and the fact that I just can't get rid of anything, much less a living thing! Over the past 10 years or so, I've gotten 1 or 2 blossoms maybe every other year. Last year I got 2 blossoms from the original plant, and a couple from the one shown here. This one was grown from cuttings off the original. This year, the original one has put out 4 blossoms - a personal record. This one, hanging in the lilac bush at home, has a total of 10 buds and blossoms! Click on the image above and you can see all 10!
I've had this plant for at least 35 years. It was given to me by my friends Ginny and Chris Gartlein in Ithaca, NY. It blossomed the year after I got it, and then did not blossom for many years, but ugly as it was, the memory of that one wonderful blossom made me keep it - that and the fact that I just can't get rid of anything, much less a living thing! Over the past 10 years or so, I've gotten 1 or 2 blossoms maybe every other year. Last year I got 2 blossoms from the original plant, and a couple from the one shown here. This one was grown from cuttings off the original. This year, the original one has put out 4 blossoms - a personal record. This one, hanging in the lilac bush at home, has a total of 10 buds and blossoms! Click on the image above and you can see all 10!
2 comments:
I was surfing the web for orchid cactus and came across your picture. I've learned a lot from this one search about the plant and now know what I've been doing wrong in it's care. I've been lucky not to lose it and at the same time learned how to get the most out of it. I hope to see more blossem's from mine in the future with the knowledge of how to care for it better now. I plan to take cuttings and start some more.
If this gets to you, I'd like you to know that I counted 24 blossom buds on mine today - 4/29/10! My secret - passed along from a friend - has been to hang the plant in the basement for the winter - no water, fairly dark, and cool but not freezing for the winter. I'll post a new picture in a few weeks when it is in full blossom!
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