If you love catus, then you have probably heard about the fishbone cactus, which isn’t your average cactus. This tropical epiphytic plant is great for those whose homes don’t have the perfect conditions for a desert cactus to thrive. Unlike other cactuses, this plant does well in less sunlight and thrives in humid conditions. Many love growing this cactus for its unique, angular-toothed stems, which are its leaves. We recommend displaying this cactus in a hanging pot or a planter to show its stunning foliage and nocturnal blooms.
Plant Attributes
- Common Names: Fishbone cactus, zig-zag cactus, ricrac cactus, orchid cactus
- Botanical Name: Disocactus anguliger
- Family: Cactaceae
- Plant Type: Cactus
- Mature Size: 6 in. tall, 3 ft. long
- Sun Exposure: Partial
- Soil Type: Loamy, moist but well-drained
- Soil pH: Acidic
- Bloom Time: Late summer, fall
- Flower Color: White, yellow
- Hardiness Zones: 10a-12b (USDA)
- Native Area: Mexico
Fishbone Cactus Care
Here are the main care requirements for growing a low-maintenance fishbone cactus:
- Plant a fishbone cactus in bright, indirect light.
- Give the plant enough moist and humid conditions.
- Use a rich, airy, and well-draining cactus potting mix.
- Use fertilizer once a year.
Light
The fishbone is popular for growing as an underplant and receives dappled and indirect light in its natural environment. Growing indoors where the plant receives several hours of bright indirect light is great for this plant.
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Soil
Being an epiphyte, this plant likes a potting mix that is well-drained, airy, and organically rich. Mix a portion of commercial cactus/succulent soil, one portion of perlite, one part of peat moss, and a part of orchid bark mix to create the ideal mixture for your fishbone cactus.
Water
While desert cacti do not need watering for a long time, the fishbone cactus loves regular watering. Water the plant once you realize the top 2 to 3 inches of the soil has dried. Do not water the cactus with cold water as it will shock the plant’s roots. These cacti are also sensitive to chemicals in regular tap water so if your water is hard, let it sit still for 24 hours before giving them water. You can also use distilled water.
Temperature and Humidity
Being a tropical environment native, fishbone cactus grows well in warm and humid conditions. Maintain temperatures between 60°F to 78°F and humidity above 60%.
Fertilizers
It is necessary to fertilize your fishbone cactus once in the early spring with a liquid cactus/succulent fertilizer. If you have used its potting medium containing organic matter (peat moss and/or orchid bark mix) the fishbone cactus will not require any additional fertilizing throughout the year.
Pruning
You do not need to prune fishbone cacti for them to be healthy but occasional trimming might help them to look neat. You can propagate the cuttings of the trimmings to grow new plants.
How to Propagate Fishbone Cactus
You can easily propagate fishbone cactus using stem cuttings and that is a great way of creating new plants. Do not propagate your fishbone cactus during the fall or winter months as the plant enters its dormant period. The best time to do propagation is in the spring and summer months. Here is how you can propagate your fishbone cactus using stem cuttings:
- Use a pair of sharp scissors or pruning shears and take cuttings from the plant at least 4 to 5 inches long.
- Keep the cuttings in a cool, dry place for at least 24 hours to allow the cut edge to callous over.
- Take a small potting container with a well-draining, airy potting mixture and moisten the soil lightly.
- Plant the cuttings in the pre-moistened potting mix and keep the cuttings in a location that gets bright, indirect light.
- The cuttings should stay moist so lightly water the cuttings every few days.
- Once the signs of new growth appear, it is considered established. Then, normal fishbone cactus care can resume. It is time to transplant the cuttings into a new container.
Common Pests and Diseases
The fishbone cactus likes humid conditions and that makes it prone to pests and diseases. Some common pests include mealybugs, fungus gnats, and aphids. Typical diseases affecting fishbone cactus include root rot and fungal leaf spots.
How to Get a Fishbone Cactus to Bloom
Bloom Months
Fishbone cactus’ bloom time is in the late summer and fall. The plant flowers at night and each bloom only lasts a day or two.
What Do Fishbone Cactus Flowers Look and Smell Like?
The flower of a fishbone cactus is trumpet-shaped or has spikey petals. They are sometimes multicolored layers of yellows, apricots, pinks, greens, and white. Talking about the scent, the plant’s flowers have a heady sweet scent.
How to Encourage More Blooms
To get more blooms, do not expose your fishbone cactus to cold temperatures in the winter at the beginning of spring —ideally between 52°F and 57°F. You can resume regular care when late spring arrives. To promote blooming later in the season, we recommend fertilizing your fishbone cactus with a high-potassium tomato fertilizer.
You can keep trying if these tips don’t give you any blooms. These cacti are difficult to bloom indoors and may require some years before they flower.
Common Problems with the Fishbone Cactus
Normally, fishbone cacti are low-maintenance and mostly free of any problems. However, there are a few problems that may arise from watering or light imbalance.
Leggy Growth
A healthy fishbone cactus’ stems and leaves should be flat with wide zig-zagging edges. If you find that all the stems and leaves are round and thin, it could mean the plant is lacking light. Keep your plant closer to the window.
Leaves With Brown Spots
Excess humidity or water left sitting on fishbone cacti leaves might cause fungal leaf spots resulting in slightly brown spots on the plants. While this is common when the plant is outdoors, this can also happen indoors as well. This will not kill your plant. Just remove the affected parts to prevent the fungus from spreading.
Wrinkled Leaves
Wrinkled leaves are an indicator that the fishbone cactus needs more water. If the leaves and stems aren’t completely drained out, your cactus will bounce back to normal as soon as you water it.
FAQs
Q: Why is my fishbone growing roots above the soil?
A: Fishbone roots growing above the soil are normal aerial roots. In the wild, aerial roots help fishbone cacti anchor themselves to other plants and trees, and absorb nutrients and moisture from the surrounding air and organic material.
Q: Why are the stems of my fishbone cactus going brown and mushy?
A: Brown, mushy stems are likely from root rot caused by overwatering. There is no cure for root rot, and the affected portions of the plant should be cut out and removed. To prevent more root rot, ensure the soil is well-draining, the potting container has drainage holes, and the top couple inches of the soil dries out between watering.
Q: How fast does the fishbone grow?
A: This cactus is a medium grower. It grows faster than most desert cacti but slower than other tropical plants, such as pothos or philodendron. When cared for properly, you will see noticeable growth on your fishbone cactus throughout each growing season.
Q: Where’s the best place to put a fishbone outside?
A: The best place outdoors for a fishbone cactus is an area with full morning sun and mostly afternoon shade.
Q: What kind of soil does a fishbone need?
A: This cactus is an epiphyte in its natural environment, so absorbs nutrients and water from the surrounding atmosphere. It therefore thrives in well-drained but humus-rich soil. For best results mix perlite and orchid bark into peat-free cactus compost, and pot it up as you would any other house plant.
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