How to Grow and Care for Disocactus

Rattail cactus (Aporocactus flagelliformis) is a flowering cactus native to Mexico. Rattail cactus also goes by the alternative Latin name Aporocactus flagelliformis. This species grows naturally in dry forests and was among the first cacti historically introduced to Europe for cultivation around 1690. It is considered easy to grow and is often placed in ornamental planters as a houseplant. Rattail cactus requires warm temperatures, bright indirect light, and rich potting soil for optimal growth.

Red orchid cactus (Disocactus ackermannii) is a cactus species native to Mexican tropical forests. Red orchid cactus is sometimes confused with Disocactus × hybridus, which is a similarly cultivated hybrid of two different Disocactus species. This species is often planted as a houseplant. Red orchid cactus grows best in indirect sunlight in well-drained soil. Its roots should be kept moist and not be allowed to dry out.

Stems to 1 m long or more, branching, primary stems to 40 cm long, 6 mm thick, woody and terete at base, flattened at apex; secondary stems flat, lanceolate, acute, margins coarsely crenated or scalloped, obtusely toothed, with terete, stalk-like base, 15 to 30 cm long, 2.5 to 5 cm wide; areoles nude except for young growth; epidermis green or reddish, nearly smooth. Flowers campanulate, funnel-shaped, diurnal and scentless, 8 to 10 cm long, 7 to 9 cm wide, produced on year-old branches; pericarpel ovate with a few spreading bracteoles; entire receptacle 2.5 to 5 cm long, 7 to 10 mm thick; bracteoles more numerous than on the pericarpel, reflexed, green to blackish purple, naked in their axils; outer tepals lanceolate, opening irregularly before flowering, then spreading widely, rose-pink; inner tepals lanceolate-obtuse, more or less erect, pink, paler inside; stamens declinate, as long as the tepals, white; style as long as tepals, white, stigma lobes 5-7. Fruit ellipsoid, 3 to 4 cm with low ribs, green at first, later red. Seeds dark brown.

Red mistletoe cactus is an attractive succulent commonly grown as a houseplant prized for its easy care. Its colorful foliage and small, white fruits give the plant its common name, "red mistletoe cactus." The leaves and stems turn red in sunlight, and the more light the succulent receives, the brighter color.

Disocactus speciosus boasts strikingly vivid, funnel-shaped flowers that range from pink to red, with long, prominent stamens. Its slender, elongated stems modestly cascade, suggesting a preference for vertical spaces, imitating its natural cliff-dwelling habitats. This epiphytic cactus thrives in well-drained soil and partial shade, emulating the dappled light of its native forest canopies.