Species · genus Epiphyllum · Cactaceae

Dutchman's Pipe Cactus

Epiphyllum oxypetalum (DC.) Haw.

Also known as: Moonflower Cactus · Night-blooming Cereus · Queen Of The Night

Growth habit

succulent epiphyte

Native range

Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Southeast, Mexico Southwest, Nicaragua

Reference · E. oxypetalum

Cultivars of E. oxypetalum

The named forms growers keep — each with its own page, each honest about how much we know.

No named cultivars catalogued under E. oxypetalum yet. When growers document a stable, named form, it earns its own page here.

Guide

The species-level account. Cultivar pages build on this and say where they differ.

A succulent epiphytic cactus from Central American forests, where it grows on tree branches rather than in soil, so it wants a fast-draining, airy mix and bright indirect light rather than harsh direct sun. As a water-storing epiphyte it rots if kept wet, so let the top inch or two of mix dry out before watering again, then water thoroughly. Average household humidity suits it; good airflow matters more than misting.

Care recipe

The species record — the baseline every cultivar inherits unless it says otherwise.

Care notes are early — not yet verified

Light: ai:claude-opus-4-8
Water: ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 10-21d)
Humidity: ai:claude-opus-4-8
Soil: ai:claude-fable-5
Care: ai:claude-fable-5

Light

Bright, indirect

Water

≈ every 21 days

Humidity

Medium

Temperature

13–29 °C

Soil mix

Loose, well-draining cactus or epiphyte mix

Propagation

Flattened stem cuttings, callused then rooted

Fertilizing

Low-nitrogen cactus feed monthly in growth

Growth rate

Moderate

Flowering

Spectacular fragrant white night blooms, brief and prized

ToxicityAuthoritative · species

Not yet documented

This is where toxicity lives — every cultivar of this species inherits it and none can override it.

Reference images

Every image credited. Licenses link to their deeds.

No reference gallery yet

A few clear photos — habit, a mature leaf, a flower if it blooms — would give this page its eyes.

Add images

Sources: ai:claude-opus-4-8 · ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 10-21d) · ai:claude-fable-5

Kept true by its growers

Every fact here carries its source. Grow Dutchman's Pipe Cactus yourself? What you’ve observed — how it drinks, how it holds its color, a name that’s off — is exactly what keeps this page honest. Contributions are reviewed before anything changes.