Rhipsalis Identification

If you have a succulent plant and need help identifying it, this is the place to post it.
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gb1
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Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2020 6:55 am

Rhipsalis Identification

Post by gb1 »

Hi, I’m new on here and this is my first post

I saw this fantastic plant 6 weeks ago and had to by it. It was just labelled as a Rhipsalis, I have never owned one before and I see there are many species of Rhipsalis. I am extremely pleased with the plant. Hopefully, someone can help and identify for me

It is positioned in my home in a light place with some morning sunshine, but mainly in the shade. When I bought it there was a few shoots growing upwards as well. Since then many more shoots are growing upwards. Will these eventually bend over and hang down

As a complete novice with this type of plant I m not sure how I should be caring for the plant so any info would be helpful. Also any info on propagation of this plant
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greenknight
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Location: SW Washington State zone 8b

Re: Rhipsalis Identification

Post by greenknight »

Not sure if it's a species Rhipsalis (maybe Rhipsalis rhombea?) or a hybrid, but I don't think you're giving it enough light - those thin shoots reaching upward are due to etiolation. While you need to be careful not to sunburn these kind of forest cacti, they do need pretty good light. I think those shoots will eventually trail, but it might be better to prune them off.

Flowers would help with the ID, but you're unlikely to get any without better light. True Rhipsalis have small flowers, but there are large-flowered hybrids that look similar to this.
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Shane
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Location: Los Angeles, CA (zone 10b)

Re: Rhipsalis Identification

Post by Shane »

I'm not convinced it's etoliation. It looks like a 'stem and leaf' type jungle cactus, and I think the thin growths are new "stems"
Los Angeles, California (USA)
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Fishhook cacti are like cats, they only like to be petted in one direction
gb1
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2020 6:55 am

Re: Rhipsalis Identification

Post by gb1 »

greenknight wrote: Mon Mar 30, 2020 7:21 am Not sure if it's a species Rhipsalis (maybe Rhipsalis rhombea?) or a hybrid, but I don't think you're giving it enough light - those thin shoots reaching upward are due to etiolation. While you need to be careful not to sunburn these kind of forest cacti, they do need pretty good light. I think those shoots will eventually trail, but it might be better to prune them off.

Flowers would help with the ID, but you're unlikely to get any without better light. True Rhipsalis have small flowers, but there are large-flowered hybrids that look similar to this.
So this might be some form of hybrid. The leaves are flat and not triangular, if that helps. The plant is in a very light place
gb1
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Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2020 6:55 am

Re: Rhipsalis Identification

Post by gb1 »

Shane wrote: Mon Mar 30, 2020 7:41 am I'm not convinced it's etoliation. It looks like a 'stem and leaf' type jungle cactus, and I think the thin growths are new "stems"
I can see some of these stem growths have eventually bent over and then begin to morph into flat leaves
esp_imaging
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Re: Rhipsalis Identification

Post by esp_imaging »

Not sure about the id, but I don't think there are many hybrid Rhipsalis around, try to pin it down to a species initially.
Flowers and fruit (they tend to be self fertile, so develop fruit even if there aren't other plants around to pollinate them) would help with id.
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