Echinopsis multiplex (Easter lily cactus)

Echinopsis multiplex, commonly known as Easter lily cactus is a very sturdy cactus and gives multiples of pups on its side. It tolerates full open sunlight and is not easily affected with wet soil, unlike other cacti. I had this cactus in Mumbai for many years but only after shifting to Pune, it decided to bloom. It is a night blooming cactus. Starts opening as sun sets and by morning it start wilting. Though of very short life, the flower is larger than the plant on which it grows. I have been using following planting medium: 3 parts coarse sand + 1 part cow dung manure or leaf compost + half part of coco peat. It is easily propagated by removal of pups from the mother plant. In fact it is advisable to remove many pups from the mother plant and plant them as separately.

Stages of flower bud growth

Flowers are larger than the cactus

Dischidia species

Dischidia vines have tiny and cute leaves. They are succulent plants. Though they have flowers, the flowers are not very showy. These plants are meant for their succulent, decorative and dense foliage. Though these plants are terrestrial, they can be easily grown as epiphytes. Dischidia bengalensis is native to India and can be seen in hilly areas of West Bengal and in North-East areas of India. In these places I had observed that these climbers start their growth as terrestrial plants but as they grow, they sever their dependence on soil and start growing as epiphytes only. They are very resistant to droughts and can survive without water for many days. Propagation is very easily done with stem cuttings.

Here I have images of some species of Dischidia, which I had collected for last few years.