The rod cactus has no thorns and captivates with long, hanging sprouts. Even if it is not one of the typical cacti, it is still just as easy to care for.
This cactus quickly makes friends because it doesn't have any thorns. The representative of the plant genus Rhipsalis proves to be robust and easy to care for in other respects as well. Rhipsalis forms the largest representative epiphytically, i.e. on tree trunks instead of on the ground growing cactus species. The diversity of the plants native to the Brazilian rainforest can hardly be surpassed. The following is how to cultivate the cactus successfully.
Plant Description
The characteristic of the rod cacti is their long, hanging shoots, which often form dense branches. The shoots have short and angular, cylindrical or leaf-like shapes. Instead of thorns, there are areoles in the form of woolly bristles or coarse hairs. Rod cacti usually have drooping shoots, which makes them ideal traffic light plants. In early spring, the rush cacti display their pretty, small flowers, which usually have a strong fragrance and are followed by bright, berry-like fruits.
Rhipsalis - the versatile plant genus
If the hobby gardener strives for diversity on the windowsill, the rod cactus can match that with an extraordinary we alth of species. No plant is like the other. You can choose from 40 types with very different appearances. The palette ranges from the magnificent traffic light plant with meter-long overhanging shoots to the short-branched rod cactus in the flower pot. The exotic plants have one thing in common - they are all easy to care for and quite robust, provided that their requirements in terms of location and substrate are met.
When does the rod cactus bloom?
The rod cactus is in full bloom in spring. The first flower heads can already open at the beginning of March. The white to yellowish flowers appear at the tips of the shoots. Unfortunately, the pleasure is short-lived. The star-shaped flowers fade after a few days. They are replaced by whitish, berry-like fruits that can be admired for several weeks.
»Tip: It is not uncommon for rod cacti to bloom again in the course of the year.
How to plant the rod cactus correctly
The rod cactus makes no special demands on location or substrate. Anyone who is already successfully cultivating leaf cacti will have no problems with the easy-care coral cacti.
❍ Location
When choosing a location, the rod cactus does not differ from other leaf cacti. A bright but not full sun location should be chosen. The plants should be protected from the blazing midday sun. However, a half-shady location is well tolerated. If the flower window is oriented to the west or east, the rod cactus should find ideal site conditions. On the south window, rush cacti need protection from direct sunlight.
❍ Summer quarters
During the summer months, the plants are allowed to move outdoors. Choose a sheltered spot in the shade or partial shade. Avoid blazing midday sun. Morning or evening sun are well tolerated and promote he althy growth. Be sure to place the cactus away from rain and wind.
» Tip: Rod cacti love high humidity. Therefore, you should also spray frequently outdoors on dry days.
❍ Substrate
Rod cacti prefer nutrient-rich, humus-rich soil. The trade offers special cactus soil. Mixing the substrate is cheaper and just as effective. Using a mix of 1/3 sharp-grained sand and 1/3 peat will provide Rhipsalis cacti with all the essential nutrients needed for he althy growth.
❍ Repotting
Caution is required when repotting the rod cactus. The plants have few, small roots that must not be injured.
» Tip: Rod cacti do not form a widely branched root system, so the planter does not necessarily have to be exchanged for a larger flower pot when repotting.
The right time for repotting is spring. The plant is removed from the planter and carefully freed from old substrate. It is advantageous to shake the plant. Dead root parts are also removed. The cactus is then placed in fresh substrate and brought to its original location. If the roots are not injured, repotting is usually well tolerated and the plant can continue to grow as usual.
How to care for the rod cactus
❍ Casting
DuringDuring the growth phase in the summer months, the rod cactus needs regular watering. The root ball must always be kept evenly moist and must not dry out completely. At the same time, ensure high humidity. This should be between 60 and 70%. In winter, only water when the soil has dried well. In order to increase the air humidity, it makes sense to place filled water bowls on the heater.
» Tip: Rod cacti do not tolerate hard water and should therefore be watered with rainwater or softened water.
❍ Fertilize
Fertilization is only advisable while the buds are developing. During this time commercial cactus fertilizer is used every 14 days. When the first buds begin to open, no more fertilizer should be given.
❍ Pruning
Pruning is not absolutely necessary, but it does not harm the plant either. The best time for pruning is early spring. If shoots are too long, you can cut them back. However, the shoots should not be cut more than 2/3 of their total length.
❍ Multiply
Propagation of the rod cactus has proven itself with cuttings. The best time to get cuttings is spring and summer. Select a lush green shoot that appears he althy and cut it off about ten to twelve centimeters long. Before planting the cuttings, they should be kept in a cool, dry place for a few days.
» Tip: If you get several cuttings in this way, a dense and strong cactus will grow quickly.
The cuttings are planted about four centimeters deep in cactus soil. The location should be chosen in light to semi-shade. It is important to avoid blazing sunlight, even with the cuttings. Temperatures between 20 and 25 degrees offer ideal conditions for successful propagation. Covering with a plastic hood meets the requirements for high humidity. To prevent mold from forming, the plastic hood should be aired more frequently. When the first shoots appear, the hood is gradually removed.
The soil is kept slightly moist for about a month. The cuttings should then be sufficiently established and rooted and can be treated like a fully grown cactus.
» Tip: Rod cacti can also be grown in a disused aquarium.
The rearing offCuttings in keywords:
- Pruning cuttings in spring or summer
- store in a cool place for a few days
- place in potting soil
- cover with plastic hood
- set up in a bright to semi-shady location
- keep moist
- Avoid waterlogging
- if the first shoots appear, remove the plant cap
- After about a month independent plants have developed
❍ Hibernate
The rod cactus does not need an explicit hibernation and does not have to vacate its position at the flower window. The plants tolerate room temperature all year round. Watering behavior can be somewhat restricted in winter. Waterlogging is to be avoided in any case. In the cold season, it is particularly important to meet the demand for high humidity. Therefore, spray frequently and help with water containers on the heater.
❍ Pests and Diseases
If care mistakes are avoided, the rod cactus is robust and almost resistant to diseases and pest infestation. If you water too much, the roots can rot, which usually means the death of the plant. The rod cactus also becomes vulnerable to diseases if you water it too little.
» Warning: Neither the potting soil nor the irrigation water should contain lime.
The scale insect
Infestation with scale insects can often be observed on the rod cactus. If you check the plant regularly, you will notice an infestation promptly and you can react accordingly. Scale insects come in different types. Mealybugs leave a woolly web on the leaves. What all scale insects have in common is that they attach themselves to the leaves and shoots and extract the sap from the cactus. If the leaves turn yellow, you can see that the infestation is already advanced and the pests have released their poison to the plant. If the infestation is not recognized in time, the rod cactus can die.
There are various ways to combat the infestation:
» Collecting
Collecting the pests is done without any chemicals, but not without effort. The method is particularly effective if you have noticed the infestation in good time and the number of pests seems manageable. You can scrape the scale insects off the shoots and leaves with a sharp knife. The honeydew left behind is then removed with soapy water. This is important in order to not make the plant susceptible to fungal attack.
Alsoyou should separate the infested plants from the rest of the stock so that the scale insects do not infest other cacti.
» Effective without chemicals
A solution of soft soap, water and alcohol is suitable for combating pests without chemicals. This solution is dabbed directly onto the pests several times a day. Olive oil serves the same purpose. However, the treatment requires patience and should be carried out daily for at least two weeks.
» Natural predators
If the infested plant is placed in a separate outdoor location, you can hope for natural predators. Ladybugs, hoverflies, parasitic wasps and various predatory beetles find food in scale insects.
Warning! Complete populations are rarely destroyed by natural predators. Therefore, check the plants before you are allowed back to the flower window.
How can a pest infestation be prevented?
It is not uncommon for care errors to be the cause of fungal or pest infestation. If the needs of the plant are not met, it will gradually be weakened and scale insects etc. have an easy time.
The following measures help to keep the rod cactus he althy:
- high humidity
- nutrient-rich soil
- bright location
- sufficient water supply
Insight into the variety of plants of the rod cacti
There are about 40 different Rhipsalis species. Three representatives are presented here in more detail.
1. Rhipsalis campus portoana
This rod cactus forms slender, hanging shoots that branch out like a fork. The whitish flowers, which are only a few millimeters long and appear only slightly open, form on the shoot tips of the popular traffic light plant. Rhipsalis campus-portoana produces round, orange fruits.
2. Rhipsalis crispataThe shoots of these varieties can be more than half a meter long. The shoots appear broadened like leaves. The shoots grow less hanging than many other members of this plant family. The white flowers form on almost invisible areoles.
3. Rhipsalis cereuscula
The light green, cylindrical shoots of this cactus species appear widely branched and occasionally have short bristles. The greenish-white flowers appear at the tips of the short lateral shoots.
Short portrait of other special species
| Rod Cactus Species | Special Features |
|---|---|
| Rhipsalis teres | strong branching yellowish shoots very suitable as traffic light plant |
| Rhipsalis russellii | particularly colorful reddish edges on the shoots creamy white flowers orange fruits |
| Rhipsalis hoelleri | very rare shiny red flowers round, red fruits endangered species |