Epiphyllum 'German Empress' - spots Solved

[Lettie]

I recently bought some Epiphyllum 'German Empress' cuttings. A few of them have black'ish spots on them. Is this the typical spots people complain about with this plant, or does it sound like something else?

Also are the frequently encountered spots problematic, other than being unsightly, and can they spread to other plants?

[BrianMc]

I think you need to post a pic

[Lettie]

I think you need to post a pic

I'll have a go.

[Lettie]

[DaveW]

Disocactus (Nopalxochia) phyllanthoides, of which 'German Empress' ("Deutsche Kaiserin') is more robust form. does produce those spots. It is still uncertain whether it was originally a hybrid, or simply a stouter collected form of N. phyllanthoides that was given a cultivar name. However both do produce the spotting.

http://epicactus.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04 ... tsche.html

Some claim it is a virus, some it is cold spotting. I cannot find any scientific work that has been done on the spotting on the Web though.

See here:-

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=92192&start=30

You can also see the spots on the stems of my D. phyllanthoides, the less robust species, not 'Deutsche Kaiserin' form here.

[Ali Baba]

I find that the spots only appear if the plant is exposed to the cooler humid weather that occurs in early autumn. I bring it inside to a warm windowsill in late august and it stays spot free.


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[Lettie]

Disocactus (Nopalxochia) phyllanthoides, of which 'German Empress' ("Deutsche Kaiserin') is more robust form. does produce those spots. It is still uncertain whether it was originally a hybrid, or simply a stouter collected form of N. phyllanthoides that was given a cultivar name. However both do produce the spotting.

http://epicactus.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04 ... tsche.html

Some claim it is a virus, some it is cold spotting. I cannot find any scientific work that has been done on the spotting on the Web though.

See here:-

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=92192&start=30

You can also see the spots on the stems of my D. phyllanthoides, the less robust species, not 'Deutsche Kaiserin' form here.

nopalxochia2.jpg

Thank you DaveW, that is most interesting. For one thing I had no idea it was a Disocactus. I'd assumed it was an Epiphyllum hybrid. Why is it commonly referred to as Epiphyllum 'German Empress'? Or maybe that is a whole new thread

Good to know that they thrive despite the spots - your plant is very beautiful.

I actually received a very healthily looking rooted cutting in the post today. Not a spot to be seen. I think I shall play it safe and keep it and my spotty cuttings separately.

[Lettie]

I find that the spots only appear if the plant is exposed to the cooler humid weather that occurs in early autumn. I bring it inside to a warm windowsill in late august and it stays spot free.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Ali Baba - I shall bear this in mind. I'd rather like the unspotted cutting to remain that way.

[DaveW]

Hi Lettie,

Most of what we call Epiphyllum hybrids have little or no Epiphyllum blood in them at all. It probably dates from the days when Disocactus or Nopaxochia were often lumped into Epiphyllum. Many in fact were a cross between Discocatus ackermannii (not the hybrid usually in cultivation under the name "Epiphyllum ackermanii") and Heliocereus species. The true Epiphyllums are virtually all white flowered and usually with long thin tubes.

For the history of Disocactus (Nopalxochia) phyllanthoides see:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disocactus_phyllanthoides

There is a good article on the non hybrid epiphytic cacti here, including the true species Epiphyllums if you scroll down. It also shows a picture of the true Disocactus ackermannii and the hybrid that masqueraded under that name for many years. In fact Britton and Rose in their book "The Cactaceae" wrongly described the hybrid 'Ackermanii' in cultivation as the original true species, which probably at that time was lost to general cultivation in the USA.

https://www.scribd.com/presentation/556 ... ytic-Cacti

David Hunt once claimed to me that all the true Epiphyllums have flat stems and anything with a three or more angled stem is a hybrid (but or course some hybrids can have flat stems too). I am not sure that is true as Epiphyllum crenatum kimnachii has angled stems. A form of this was long grown in cultivation and known as Epiphyllum cooperi and thought to be a hybrid for years until E. crenatum kimnachi was re-found in habitat.

Some more reading for you if you are interested in the history of these plants:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disocactus_ackermannii

They don't really seem to be able to really settle on a name for the 'Ackermannii' hybrid, since you can find it under a few other proposed names:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disocactu ... 7_hybridus

For the history of E. crenatum kimnachii/E. cooperi scroll down to the piece by Myron Kimnach at the end of this link:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphyllum_crenatum

Unfortunately many of the true species are far more tender than the hybrids with less spectacular flowers, therefore rarely grown and are fairly hard to obtain, unlike the more vigorous hybrids.

[Lettie]

Hi Lettie,

Most of what we call Epiphyllum hybrids have little or no Epiphyllum blood in them at all. It probably dates from the days when Disocactus or Nopaxochia were often lumped into Epiphyllum. Many in fact were a cross between Discocatus ackermannii (not the hybrid usually in cultivation under the name "Epiphyllum ackermanii") and Heliocereus species. The true Epiphyllums are virtually all white flowered and usually with long thin tubes.

For the history of Disocactus (Nopalxochia) phyllanthoides see:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disocactus_phyllanthoides

There is a good article on the non hybrid epiphytic cacti here, including the true species Epiphyllums if you scroll down. It also shows a picture of the true Disocactus ackermannii and the hybrid that masqueraded under that name for many years. In fact Britton and Rose in their book "The Cactaceae" wrongly described the hybrid 'Ackermanii' in cultivation as the original true species, which probably at that time was lost to general cultivation in the USA.

https://www.scribd.com/presentation/556 ... ytic-Cacti

David Hunt once claimed to me that all the true Epiphyllums have flat stems and anything with a three or more angled stem is a hybrid (but or course some hybrids can have flat stems too). I am not sure that is true as Epiphyllum crenatum kimnachii has angled stems. A form of this was long grown in cultivation and known as Epiphyllum cooperi and thought to be a hybrid for years until E. crenatum kimnachi was re-found in habitat.

Some more reading for you if you are interested in the history of these plants:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disocactus_ackermannii

They don't really seem to be able to really settle on a name for the 'Ackermannii' hybrid, since you can find it under a few other proposed names:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disocactu ... 7_hybridus

For the history of E. crenatum kimnachii/E. cooperi scroll down to the piece by Myron Kimnach at the end of this link:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphyllum_crenatum

Unfortunately many of the true species are far more tender than the hybrids with less spectacular flowers, therefore rarely grown and are fairly hard to obtain, unlike the more vigorous hybrids.

Thanks for taking the time to explain all that - most useful. I shall have a good read of the links too. It certainly helps to know what one is dealing with. I have three young Epiphyllum species plants - E. oxypetalum, E. hookeri and E. anguliger - all seem to be happy atm. Hopefully understanding a bit more about Disocactus (Nopalxochia) phyllanthoides 'German Empress' will help me grow it more successfully. Many thanks.