Say hello to the “fishbone” cactus. Yes, it is a cactus, just an unusual one!
Rather than living with other cacti in a hot, arid climates, fishbone cacti typically live in sheltered, humid, tropical environments. First found growing in Mexico, they became popular around the world – well, look at them! Who doesn’t want one?
Fishbone cacti are also called “bric-a-brac” plants, because their “leaves” look just like you might see sewn onto clothing (Thanks, Etsy! https://etsy.me/3Z6E7BE). When they want to feel fancy, fishbone cacti also go by “orchid cacti” – beautiful in their own way, and they like the same environmental conditions. But not outside in Canada, please – too cold! These cacti typically live in Zone 10 or higher.
Like to look after cacti and succulents, but suffer from killing them from kindness – e.g., over watering? This one is for you! They are tropical epiphytes, meaning they don’t actually need to live in dirt so that their roots absorb water – like what you think of with “air” plants (Thanks again, Etsy. https://etsy.me/3xRhrt5). Typically they attach themselves to a host, like a tree, and then enjoy the view without harming the host. Living in the Mexico jungle, they get as much humidity as they want from their foliage. When living in pots and planters however, they accept (and like) humidity from a nice spritzing and/or water added directly to the base, in well-drained but moisture-retaining soil.
Fishbone cacti are happy in bright light by a window, not direct sun. They live in lower light conditions too, but like most plants, need some light to thrive. The plant itself will tell you if it needs more light – newly grown foliage will remain “round”, instead of flattening down like the mature foliage. They can be outside in the summer, but please keep them in the bright shade – like a jungle, where they like to be! When watering your fishbone, indoor and outdoor, please use filtered, distilled or rain water – like fancy orchids, they like to be “au natural”, so skip the tap water chemicals.
We’d love to have your thoughts about fishbone cacti, so shout out – on the contact form though, please – we can’t hear when you only shout out loud! Enjoy.
