Disocactus anguliger, the zigzag cactus
Disocactus anguliger
- Exposure
- Half-shade
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 11a (4.4°C ≤ T° < 7.2°C)
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Family
- Cactaceae
- Genus
- Disocactus
- Species
- Cactus zigzag Disocactus anguliger
Other names:Epiphyllum anguliger, Cereus mexicanus, Epiphyllum darrahii, Phyllocactus angularis, Phyllocactus anguliger, Phyllocactus darrahii, Phyllocactus mexicanus, Phyllocactus serratus
The zigzag cactus is so unusual that it wouldn't be out of place in Jacques Dutronc's famous song. With no thorns, it doesn't grow on the ground, but in trees, and its zigzagging stems resemble leaves. Yet Disocactus anguliger belongs to the Cactaceae family and comes to us from Mexico.
How to recognize Disocactus anguliger, the zigzag cactus?
Disocactus anguliger grows upright when young, then spreads out over time. At maturity, this cactus reaches a spread of 60 to 90 centimetres.
At first glance, you might think that Disocactus anguliger is an acaule plant. Indeed, its bright green, flat, succulent and deeply crenellated stems are often mistaken for leaves. But make no mistake, they are stems! Over time, they become lignified at the base.
The zigzag cactus only bears leaves during germination. They disappear after a few weeks. It also has no spines, unlike Cephalocereus senilis and most other cacti. Its stems are completely smooth.
Disocactus anguliger develops aerial roots beneath its stems. In the wild, these enable it to cling to the trees on which it grows.
The plant produces flowers around ten centimetres in diameter in late autumn, blooming on cacti over three years old. Pure white, they are borne on areoles at the base of the stem teeth and surrounded by yellow or pale orange bracts.
After flowering, Disocactus anguliger produces green, ovoid fruits that take several months to ripen. The translucent flesh inside, dotted with tiny black seeds, has a flavor reminiscent of pitaya.
The zigzag cactus is non-toxic to pets. The fragrance of its flowers, only perceptible when the sun goes down, attracts moths, the plant's main pollinators.
Our care tips
Disocactus anguliger may be cacti, but they don't like drought or full sun. Water your plant regularly and protect it from full sun when you take it outside in summer.
Watering
Before watering, make sure the substrate is two or three centimetres dry by dipping your fingers into the soil. If this is the case, moisten the root ball with non-calcareous water at room temperature.
To avoid drowning the roots, don't leave stagnant water in the dish.
Misting
Spray foliage with non-calcareous water at room temperature. Fogging helps improve humidity, clean leaves and control pests.
Repotting
Every year in the spring, repot your Disocactus anguliger to give it more space.
Obtain a pierced pot slightly larger than the previous one.
Fill it with commercially available potting soil for epiphytic cacti. If you can't find any, you can prepare your own growing medium by mixing houseplant substrate and perlite.
Plant your Cactus zigzag. Tamp and water to help the plant take root and remove air bubbles.
Fertilization
To promote the growth of your Disocactus anguliger, apply fertilizer in spring and summer.
Apply flowering plant fertilizer to stimulate flowering.
Cleaning
The dust that accumulates on foliage hinders photosynthesis and the growth of your Cactus zigzag. You can remove it with a damp cloth or clean sponge.
Taking cuttings
Cutting is carried out during the strong growth phase, generally in spring and early summer.
Locate a healthy, flowerless stem. Using a clean, sharp tool, cut off an eight- to ten-centimeter section. Remove the lower leaves and leave to dry for 24 hours before planting.
Your cuttings will flourish in perforated plastic cups designed for seedlings and planting.
Fill your pots with a combination of houseplant potting soil (25%) and river sand (75%).
Use a pencil, pick or your finger to make a pilot hole, then plant your Cactus zigzag. You can put several cuttings in the same pot to obtain a denser plant.
Water regularly to keep the substrate moist.
Diseases / Threats
Information
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Exposure
- Half-shade
- Substrates
- Humus soilSandy soil
- Planting methods
- In potsPlanterSeedling pot
- Categories
- SucculentHanging plants
- Tags
- Edible fruitBeginnerFlowery
- Origin
- South America
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 11a (4.4°C ≤ T° < 7.2°C)
- Leaf color
- Light green
- Flower colors
- WhiteYellowOrange
- Fruit color
- Light green
Discover plants from the same family
Christmas cactus
Schlumbergera truncata
Prickly pear
Opuntia ficus-indica
Rabbit ear cactus
Opuntia microdasys
Erect nopal
Opuntia stricta
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
