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Description
Marvellously bizarre plant for any collection of oddities.
Family: Cactaceae (Cactus Family) Scientific name: Selenicereus urbanianus (Gürke & Weing.) Britton & Rose Origin & Habitat: Selenicereus urbanianus is an inhabitant of the dump forest of Cuba, Haiti and Dominican Republic, the monstrous form is probably a mutation originated in nursery cultivation. Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 2. Common English Names include: "Sausage Cactus", "Monstrous Night-blooming Cereus", " Monstrous Queen of the Night"
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Description: Selenicereus urbanianus forma mostruosa is a sport of the Cuban epiphyte clambering species with spineless swollen "sausage" stems in linked ( extruded ) sections that twists and turns as it grows (rather than with 4-5 angles joints as in the standard form) sometime with aerial roots, stems usually light green but occasionally turn purple throughout
Cultivation: An easily cultivated, fast growing epiphyte or lithophytic plant. Needs a compost containing plenty of humus and sufficient moisture in summer (though quite adaptable) it can be also cultivated on split bark like Monstera. The plant is quite resistant to drought condition, but shouldn't dry out totally otherwise it will turn purplish brown and look unpleasant. Too much fertilizer will cause a lot of lush growth at the expense of flowers. Should not be kept under 5º C in winter (but can tolerate temperature as low as -5° C for short period if completely dry). Perform best if grown in full sun. Extra light in the early spring will stimulate budding. Suited for hanging pot The adventitious roots -- those wiry white things -- are a good indicator of whether or not it's satisfied with the amount of water it's getting. They absorb ambient moisture and if the soil is too dry, they will reach out to grab as much moisture from the air as they need. So don't prune them off because you consider them unsightly.
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