Rhipsalis cerescula

Information

Growth and Cascade

The growth pattern of Rhipsalis cerescula is really captivating to watch:

• The Start: It often begins its life by clumping up (as you've captured beautifully in your third photo!).

• The Cascade: Then, it sends out new growth on a really long stem, which eventually matures, drops, and gives the plant its gorgeous, hanging foliage effect.   This mature growth features the very thin stems (cladodes), cascading downwards.

Like all Rhipsalis, it does flower!   I've included a lovely photo of its blooms, which cluster and hang downwards—a subtle but charming detail.   While all the varieties have similar, but slightly different flowers, the overall effect of these blooms on the fine stems is just delightful.

Forget the word 'Cactus' when you think of these beauties!   While they are technically part of the wider Cactus family, they couldn't be further from the desert types you might imagine.   These unique plants don't grow in arid deserts and certainly don't have the sharp spikes of their distant cousins.

Instead, Rhipsalis are native to the steamy, humid Rain Forest environments of Central and South America.   They thrive in dappled light, high humidity, and conditions that feel decidedly tropical.   Their trailing, segmented stems create an amazing cascade of green, making them perfect for hanging baskets or shelf displays.   They're an absolute joy to care for and a fantastic choice for any plant lover looking for something a bit different and very low maintenance!

There are so many different types of Rhipsalis—I myself would have over 10 varieties of these!   If you want to know which other Rhipsalis I have, please enquire.