As with many plants, my first Rhipsalis was training wheels. It’s a cactus, so it came potted in a cactus soil mix, ‘cause that’s what you’d do, and it was woefully under-watered, ‘cause it’s a cactus and that’s what you’d do. And I didn’t know any better.
Now I do. When it didn’t thrive I finally did the research. Yes, they are cacti, but jungle cacti; in fact, epiphytic jungle cacti. That means that they don’t belong planted in soil any more than I do, at least not yet. So I moved that first guy to a barky, airy mix and gave him regular watering, and he got better.
So I got another Rhipsalis, and another, and another, and well we know how that story goes. And though I’ve only scratched the surface of Rhipsalis, I’m good for right now. Ok, there is one more that I want, but then I’m good, for a bit.
And yes, they are similar, but they have their differences. Which is what makes them interesting to me; so similar and yet so different. That is, I suppose, the allure of any genus. Plus there’s that whole “epiphytic jungle cactus” concept.
I’ll keep you posted.
