Rhipsalis capilliformisOld Man's Head

The Rhipsalis capilliformis is a cactus that behaves like nothing people expect from one: an epiphyte of the Brazilian Atlantic forest, it hangs in a fine curtain of thread-like green stems 0.6 to 1.2 metres long and wants shade and humidity rather than desert sun.

It is grown almost entirely in hanging planters and on vertical displays, where the cascading habit is the whole point.

Specifications

• Height0.6 to 1.2 metres of trailing stems
• Width0.5 to 1 metre
• Native toSoutheastern Brazil, in Atlantic forest
• FoliageFine thread-like pendulous green succulent stems; leafless and evergreen
• Growth rateModerate

Conditions

• SoilRequires a very free-draining bark-based epiphytic mix; rots in heavy soil
• LightBright indirect light to partial shade; scorches in full sun
• WaterLow to moderate; more water than a desert cactus, allowed to dry between
• ClimateThrives in humid subtropical and tropical shade, and in stable interiors

Additional Features

• FormCascading curtain of fine stems, effective only when hung or raised
• FlowersTiny cream flowers followed by small translucent white berries
• UsesIdeal for hanging planters, interior landscaping and shaded vertical displays
• SpacingPlant 0.3 to 0.5 metres apart, or group three to a basket
• Low MaintenanceNeeds only occasional thinning of tangled stems
• Pest ResistanceGenerally sound; mealybug can appear in still interior air
• VersatilitySuits interior atria, shaded balconies and green wall pockets

Old Man's Head is the cactus for shade, and the softest-textured plant available for a hanging or vertical display.