Dutchman’s pipe cactus

Dutchman’s pipe cactus: how do you recognise it?

Growth habit

Epiphytic cactus with long, flat, leaf-like stems; indoors usually 1–1.5 m tall and up to 1 m wide, upright or arching.

Stems

Fleshy, flat and wavy to lobed, with a thick midrib. They look like leaves and have no true spines.

Flower

Large, white and funnel-shaped, with narrow outer petals. The flower opens at night and usually appears from June to September.

Scent

Heavy, sweet and far-reaching, strongest early in the night.

Roots

Fine and shallow, with aerial roots. It needs little compost but hates wet feet.

Flowering: June–September · Plants: March–April

Why grow it?

• Spectacular flowers, often more than 20 cm long, white with a heavy, sweet scent.
• A flowering evening is a small event: the bud opens late in the evening and the flower has wilted by sunrise.
• An easy houseplant that tolerates a little neglect and needs no direct sun.
• The green, leaf-like stems are attractive even without flowers.
• Very easy to propagate from cuttings, so you can share it with friends and family.

Dutchman’s pipe cactus: where does it grow best?

• Plenty of light but no fierce midday sun: by an east- or west-facing window, or a little way back from a south-facing one. In summer it may stand outdoors in partial shade.
• Light, humus-rich, free-draining compost: ordinary potting compost mixed with coarse sand or perlite and a little bark; slightly acid to neutral.
• Warm in summer (15–25 °C), cool in winter (10–15 °C) and never below 10 °C.
• Keep it out of draughts and away from radiators. Allow a 20–30 cm pot and, if needed, a support or hanger.

Light

Bright, out of direct sun

Potting soil

Multi-purpose compost or airy, humus-rich compost

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Watering

Moderately

Size

1.5 m tall, 1 m wide

Temperature

Minimum 10 °C

Goes well with

• Orchid (Phalaenopsis): Also an epiphyte, happy in the same bright spot without fierce sun.
• Christmas cactus: A related leaf-stemmed cactus with the same cool winter rest.
• Hoya: A trailing or climbing plant with similar needs.
• Bromeliad: A tropical look and the same light needs, with a colourful bloom.

Dutchman’s pipe cactus: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April.

1. Repot in March–April, when the roots fill the pot or the compost is exhausted. This cactus likes to flower in a slightly snug pot, so do not go too large.
2. Use a pot with drainage holes and put a layer of clay pebbles in the bottom for good drainage.
3. Mix an airy compost yourself: two parts houseplant compost, one part coarse sand or perlite and one part bark.
4. Set the plant at the same depth as before and firm the compost lightly.
5. Do not water for a few days after repotting, then water as normal; wait a few weeks before feeding.

Care

Water

From April to September, moderately: water when the top 2–3 cm of compost is dry and let excess water drain away. Use soft or low-lime water if possible.

Feeding

From April to August, every 2–4 weeks with a cactus feed or one low in nitrogen. Too much nitrogen gives lots of stems but few flowers.

Winter rest

From November to February keep it cool (10–15 °C), bright and almost dry. This rest helps it set flower buds.

Support

Long stems flop over: tie them to a bamboo cane or a ring.

Humidity

Normal room air is fine. In summer you may mist it now and then.

Tip: Give it a cool, bright spot and little water in winter: this helps it set flower buds. Once buds appear, do not move or turn the plant any more.

Dutchman’s pipe cactus: when to prune it?

When: You hardly need to prune: remove dead or damaged stems as needed, preferably in spring.

How:

• Cut dead, shrivelled or damaged stems off at the base with clean, sharp scissors or secateurs.
• Shorten overly long or thin, rounded shoots; they make good cuttings.
• Remove flowers as soon as they wilt and hang limp.
• Do not cut too much: the flowers appear mainly on mature stems, along the wavy edges.

Caution: Let larger cuts dry in the air for a few days: this prevents rot.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Stem cuttings

In May–July: cut a stem section of 10–15 cm, let the cut dry for 3–7 days, then set the lower end 3 cm deep in airy, barely moist compost. It roots in a few weeks; keep the compost lightly moist.

Seed

Possible from seed, but it takes several years before the first flowers. Cuttings are much quicker.

Dutchman’s pipe cactus: how does it get through the winter?

• Not hardy: the minimum temperature is 10 °C. Bring it indoors in October, well before the first frosts.
• From November to February give it a bright, cool spot (10–15 °C) and little water, just enough to stop the stems shrivelling.
• Keep it away from radiators and draughts.
• From March give more water and light again; start feeding again in April.

Diseases and pests

• Root rot: Stems turn soft, yellow or black at the base: too much water or a pot without drainage. Let the compost dry out, cut away rotten parts and repot in fresh, dry compost if needed.
• No flowers: Usually too little light, too much nitrogen, no cool winter rest or a pot that is too big. Move it to a brighter spot, feed with little nitrogen and give it a cool winter.
• Scale insects and mealybugs: Small brown shields or white fluffy patches on the stems. Wipe them off with a cloth dipped in soapy water or a little methylated spirit and repeat weekly.
• Brown scorch marks: A sign of too much sun, especially behind glass in summer. Give it more shade or put a net curtain in front of the window.

Through the year

• January: Rest: cool, bright spot (10–15 °C), little water.
• February: Rest. Still very little water.
• March: Repot if needed. More light and water again.
• April: Start feeding.
• May: After mid-May it may go outdoors in partial shade. Take cuttings.
• June: First flowers possible: check the buds in the evening.
• July: Flowering. Water in dry spells, feed every 2–4 weeks.
• August: Flowering. Feed until the end of August.
• September: Last flowers. Less water, stop feeding.
• October: Bring indoors before it gets colder than 10 °C.
• November: Start the winter rest: cool and drier.
• December: Rest. Very little water.

Did you know?

• The flowers open at dusk and have wilted by sunrise. In the wild they are visited at night by moths.
• An epiphyte grows on a tree without harming it: its roots take water and nutrients from rain and fallen leaves.
• Unlike desert cacti, this cactus lives in the shade of the rainforest and scorches in full sun.