Epiphyllum phyllanthus

A widespread epiphytic leaf cactus of tropical American lowland forest, from Mexico to Argentina, with flat green stems and fragrant, slender white flowers that open at night for hawkmoths. It lives on tree trunks and in trunk cavities under constant warmth and high humidity.

At home, aim for

Day Warm-growingTargets in Plantistry

Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry

Humidity Ordinary room humidityBand in Plantistry

Light Dappled lightDLI and PPFD in Plantistry

No rest periodGrows on trees (epiphyte)

Where it grows wild

Epiphytic on trees in lowland and lower montane rain forest, often rooted in trunk cavities and crevices where humus collects. It uses CAM photosynthesis but needs far more moisture than desert cacti.

Recorded at 0–2,017 m, median 325 m (433 records).

BrazilColombiaMexicoBoliviaEcuadorFrench GuianaPanamaParaguayPeruVenezuelaCentral AmericaArgentina

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates

✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it

✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light

✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it

✓ Substrate and airflow

✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

Grow Epiphyllum phyllanthus? Add it to a free garden and its full profile opens. Pro opens all 38,374 profiles in the library, plants and fungi.

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More Epiphyllum

Epiphyllum oxypetalum Epiphyllum chrysocardium Epiphyllum laui Epiphyllum pumilum Epiphyllum thomasianum Epiphyllum baueri Epiphyllum cartagense Epiphyllum grandilobum Epiphyllum hookeri

Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its CC BY 4.0 licence, unmodified.