Almost missed it - Rhipsalis pilocarpa

I like this plant.
The more I neglect it the better it grows. It even blooms when I am not looking :)
This is what is left from the blooming this year. The flowers do not last very long, just a couple of days, so I had to hurry to catch at least the few.

Rhipsalis pilocarpa

Long, long time ago when I was in primary school I go a cutting from from someone and since then it has been growing equally neglected in my room.
It has always been quite small plant, but growing many little branches every year and I have always liked it. It never bloomed though, probably due to too high temperatures in winter and dry air.

Many years later I got a cutting from that plant and planted it in my place. Different climate, a big change in temperatures between summer an winter, equal neglect and the plant is already bigger that the much oleder mother and it blooms.

Every year :)





I always knew it was a catus, but I thought it like a any other regular one.
Nop.. not even close :)

*In the wild Rhipsalis pilocarpa is an epiphyte, using a host tree for support but not parasitising or otherwise harming its host.
Native to Brazil , where it lives in tropical subtropical or tropical forests, hanging on branches or growing in the hollow of old trees. The main threat to the species is the rapid decline of the primary tropical forest (destruction and fragmentation of habitats, deforestation, etc.). Therefore, the species is classified as vulnerable.
_source

Which basically means it grows like orchids :D
Pretty cool eh?
I grow it in a normal pot and even use the mix like for regular cacti. How it a world it didn't die for me yet, I don't know. But it works and I am not gonna change anything.

Flowers are small, round 1.5 cm in length with a slight fragrance.
The common name for it is Mistletoe cactus and comes from the fruits that form later. They look like tiny little balls. I can't recall if my one ever had any. The dry flowers usually just rop without being pollinated.





The spines are like tiny little hair. Completely harmless and don't even attach to the skin - some cacti o that and they usually cause terrible itch. Not this one. This one is a very friendly one.

This is the whole plant. It is doing pretty well in the clay po, but I keep at home, so the harsh sun doesn't have a chance to cook it.