Rhipsalis

Rhipsalis Care

Rhipsalis baccifera

What is the plant

Rhipsalis is an unusual succulent plant that, unlike other cacti, loves moisture. In its natural habitat, Rhipsalis lives in tropical rainforests.

Rhipsalis has an unusual appearance. The long and thin sprouts stretch in different directions and resemble a continuous web. The length of these small outgrowths is no more than 1.5 inches (about 5 centimeters). The plant grows wider and often hangs off the edge of the container. Rhipsalis can be up to 40 inches (1 meter) in diameter.

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Humidity

Dry

Lighting

Part Sun

Temperature

15°C - 17°C

Hardiness zone

10a - 11b

Difficulty

Easy

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Rhipsalis requires regular and abundant watering regardless of the season, which is not typical for cacti. You need to make sure the plant does not dry out. However, you should not flood it with water too often, so the roots do not start to rot. Gardeners recommend using settled or filtered water for Rhipsalis.
Pruning
You don't have to prune the Rhipsalis. However, if you want your plant to look neat, you can do this in March. You can remove dry and damaged branches.
Fertilizer
Rhipsalis needs feeding from early spring to mid-autumn. Gardeners recommend fertilizing the plant about twice a month, and you can use a regular succulent and cactus fertilizer.

Disease diagnosis

Check your plant’s health

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Sunlight
Rhipsalis is afraid of direct sunlight during the hot season. However, this plant feels good both in a small shade and under a bright but not burning sun.
Soil
This plant needs good drainage to fill a fourth of the container. To prepare the soil, you need to combine peat, sand, leafy, and turf soil in equal proportions.
Propagation
This succulent propagates through seeds, bush division, or cuttings. For division, you need to cut the bush carefully. Try not to damage the root. You can use the same soil for sprouts as for an adult plant.

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Temperature
Rhipsalis is a thermophilic plant, and temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 Celsius) can be dangerous for it. In summer, the plant needs a temperature of 64-74 degrees Fahrenheit (18-24 Celsius). In winter, you should keep Rhipsalis at 59-63 degrees Fahrenheit (15-17 Celsius).
Container
The roots of Rhipsalis are not very strong, so you should better choose a shallow but wide container as this plant grows wider. You should also place the Rhipsalis container in a wide pallet.
Fun fact
Rhipsalis often grow on rocks or tree trunks rather than on the ground in the wild.