How to Grow and Care for Rhipsalis in Australia

What is Rhipsalis?

Rhipsalis is the only type of cactus that grows naturally outside of the Americas. With 35 accepted species, and 25 known in cultivation, it’s well worth getting to know this unusual and diverse cactus genus, which can be grown in all sorts of experimental conditions, as well as standard containers.

As a cactus, they require infrequent watering, but unlike most cactuses, they hold no spine whatsoever, instead, their tubular and succulent stems are able to photosynthesise, splitting into a mess of similar-looking leaves, which do occasionally flower.

In terms of clear visual and habitual similarities, the only truly close cacti species would be the Easter Cactus, or Stenocerus (the Dragon Fruit Cactus).

Natural Habitat of Rhipsalis

Rhipsalis, while it’s exciting to think of them as the only cactus found outside of America, are also native to the Americas, and typically found in South America similar to Alstroemerias. However, in isolated tropical parts of Africa and Asia, they are naturally occurring, showing that cacti may have evolved prior to the separation of continents as generally accepted. 

Its seeds, though, cast doubt on this theory. The white, translucent berries, similar to mistletoe (hence its common name ‘Mistletoe Cactus’) are slow to digest, and could have travelled the world in the stomach of migrating birds.

Best Rhipsalis Species and Varieties to Grow at Home

Rhipsalis are best known for the drooping, fine leaved, mistletoe cactus, with Rhipsalis baccifera being the most commonly sold in garden centres, and easiest to find online.

However, of the 35 accepted species, there are twenty five that can be found in cultivation fairly commonly that would make a brilliant addition to any cactus or houseplant collection.

How to Grow Rhipsalis in Australia

Rhipsalis are fairly indestructible plants. And I say that as a fairly hopeless cactus parent. Their roots like to dry out and enjoy good aeration, so poor soil helps. In fact, my three Rhipsalis plants (all gifted about ten years ago) are much happier today in completely used compost, than they were when they were new.

In most parts of Australia, this plant should be grown indoors, in controlled conditions, but they do grow happily outdoors in warmer parts of the country, either in hanging baskets or as epiphytes.

Essentially, if you give them enough sun, nutrients, and balanced moisture levels throughout the year, they’re fine. Just don’t let them drop below 10°C at any point, as it will weaken them. Anything below 5°C will kill them pretty much overnight.

Growing Rhipsalis Indoors

The most common conditions for growing this plant in Australia are bright conditions indoors, with full sun, and free-draining compost. There is some debate over how best to aerate the roots of these epiphytic plants when grown indoors, but basically, if you avoid over watering them, and add a few extra drainage holes to your containers, they should be ok.

Choosing the Best Container for Rhipsalis

Before you get started, find the right container for your Rhipsalis plants. Most collectors swear religiously by terracotta containers, because they dry out sooner than plastic, which means you can water deeply with less risk of stagnant water.

If you prefer plastic pots for hygiene, then don’t place them inside an outer decorative pot as humidity will build around your compost. Simply hang the plastic pots as they are, and make sure there are at least five good-sized drainage holes for a 20 cm pot, or equivalent on larger containers (this ensures both drainage, and root aeration).

Best Compost for Rhipsalis

Rhipsalis are cacti, so cactus compost mixes are ideal. If you can’t find a pre-mixed cactus compost in your local garden centre, don’t worry, it’s easy enough to make your own. You’ll need a few basic ingredients, and a tub to mix them. 

To make your cactus compost, you’ll need:

• Any organic compost with fine organic matter (garden compost is fine, but sieve it down to 1 cm grade) – 30%
• Coarse sand, or horticultural grit (any clean grit under 3mm) - 30%
• Vermiculite – 30%
• Perlite – 30%

You can use just perlite or vermiculite, rather than both, but they have different properties so I prefer to use equal parts of both for nutrient retention and aeration.

Water Schedule

This plant don’t mind drying out, and while the general advice is to water them once a week, it depends heavily on their position, where you live, and the temperatures indoors. 

Our home is rarely above 21°C, and our Rhipsalis hang about 3 ft away from a bright north-westerly window. They take about three weeks to dry out completely, so we water once a fortnight, and feed them annually with a drip feed.

Sun Requirements

Rhipsalis prefer bright conditions provided the temperature stays roughly above 18°C, and can cope with full sun in the mornings and evenings.

Consider their natural habitat as epiphytic plants, constantly shaded by the dappling foliage of the trees they hang from. In the wild they would never be exposed to direct sun, so replicating that at home is the best way to keep them happy.

How to Propagate Rhipsalis

Rhipsalis are really easy to propagate. In fact, if you’ve got one growing at home, chances are it’s already done it for you. Their stems will root into bare soil, so often create new plants within their own pots, beneath their existing mass of leaves and stems.

To create new plants from your existing plants, simply divide them by teasing apart the top growth until to find the base of each section. Remove what you need and infill any gaps with a fresh cactus potting mix.

Propagating Rhipsalis from Cuttings

Any 10 cm piece of mistletoe cactus will root in bright indirect light, with reasonable moisture and some patience.

• Simply cut a 10 cm section of Rhipsalis stem (remember which side is up!).
• Create a hole in a small pot filled with cactus potting mix.
• Insert the stem so the end that was closest to the base of the plant is now in the soil.
• Water it well and leave it somewhere bright.
• Keep the cutting moist by misting when it dries out.
• You should have a rooted Rhipsalis cutting after about five weeks.

Rhipsalis Propagation from Seeds

If you’re lucky enough to have pollinated flowers, followed by ripe weeds on your Rhipsalis, they can be propagated from fresh seeds very easily. Either squash the berries directly into a pot with sphagnum moss, or coir fibre, or squeeze out the seeds and sow them once clean.

(Previously, we advocated for the use of peat/sphagnum moss. However, recognizing its environmental consequences, we've modified our guidance to highlight eco-conscious alternatives that deliver comparable or superior benefits. Refer to our comprehensive guide to learn more about peat moss and its alternatives.)

The first option is easier as the seeds are tiny, but the second option reduces the chance of mould developing from decomposing berries. Cover the pots with a plastic bag, and keep them but not soaking. Store them somewhere bright, but out of direct sunlight. 

Seeds can take about three months to germinate, so keep them moist, and blow air into the bag each time too (CO2 helps seeds and seedlings develop).

Rhipsalis Care Tips

Rhipsalis mostly care for themselves, but the more care you give them, the faster you’ll get a dramatic and mature plant. Remember, Rhipsalis, similar to Epiphyllum, are epiphytes and cactus, two groups of plants that are well-adapted to recover after most challenges.

The only thing to seriously avoid is overwatering, which can completely kill them, and rot them from the inside out. Avoid overwatering, and the rest is simple.

Feeding Rhipsalis

This plant don’t need feeding, but I like to pop a basic house plant drip feed into the compost once a year just to top up nutrients in a similar way that they’d get them in nature from decomposing leaves in crevices in bark, or branch joints (rather than regular boosts of liquid feed).

Pruning Needs

Rhipsalis don’t need pruning, but you should remove any orange leaves, grey leaves, or brown foliage that is dropping back to the source of the problem. If that means cutting your plants right to the base, then so be it. If you don’t, problems can spread, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Repotting 

This plant don’t need repotting regularly, but if they are starting to expand their plastic pots, it’s worth giving them a pot that’s an extra 1” wide but the same depth.

Root restriction isn’t a bad thing for this plant, so let them become slightly pot-bound for a year before repotting, as this can often trigger quite vigorous new growth.

Encourage Rhipsalis to Flower

Temperatures need to drop below 18°C for at least two weeks to trigger into a period of flowering, followed by berries. The flowers can then be manually pollinated indoors, or left to be pollinated by insects outdoors if you want to enjoy the unusual seeds, or harvest and propagate the seeds yourself.

Common Rhipsalis Pests and Diseases

There’s not much that can go wrong with Rhipsalis. Avoid over-caring, and over-watering as they can both cause common problems, and encourage pests like mealybug. For more detail on specific pests and diseases, see below.

We once found a slug hiding around the base of our Rhipsalis. It hadn’t done any damage, but it was a pretty big shock. Like most cactuses, it doesn’t really offer much to pests, so other than mealybugs, you should be ok.

If you do notice mealybugs (small insects with a white coating) wipe them off, and let the soil; dry out. They lay their eggs in damp soil, and they can’t develop if the soil dries out. Your plant will recover if left for a month without water, but the mealybugs won’t. Problem solved!

No specific diseases will target Rhipsalis, so simply avoid over-watering or over-feeding, and make sure humidity is at average or slightly near average levels, with good air general flow in the room.

Over watered or over-humidified roots can rot, causing stem rot in turn. Spotting the damage can be tough, so by the time you realise it’s often too late. If you do notice root rot on your Rhipsalis or any other cactus, just remove it from the soil entirely and allow the roots to dry out before repotting into fresh soil.

It isn’t a definite fix, but if the base of your cactus is turning brown and mushy, and the roots are blackening, it’s better to try something than nothing.

A second insurance policy is to follow the guide for rooting cuttings from healthy top growth earlier in this article too. 

Rhipsalis Frequently Asked Questions

How do you take care of Rhipsalis in the winter?

During winter, try to keep Rhipsalis at temperatures above 15°C (10°C as a minimum) through the winter, and make sure the soil stays reasonably dry, as humidity can be a problem in colder months.

Is Rhipsalis easy to grow?

Rhipsalis is an easy plant to grow, with very few regular care requirements at all. If you struggle to grow houseplants, but love the idea of hanging, dramatic, structural foliage at home, Rhipsalis are a great low-maintenance plant.

Can you divide Rhipsalis?

The easiest way to propagate Rhipsalis and create new plants is to divide it. Simply look for distinct bases to stems on the surface of the soil. Small rooted plants can be pricked out, but larger sections can be divided by slicing through the root ball.

Can you grow Rhipsalis outside?

Rhipsalis will grow happily outdoors in Australia, provided it is protected from heavy rainfall, and temperatures below 10°C.

Can you root Rhipsalis in water?

You can root Rhipsalis in water quite easily, but it's best to root it into compost if possible. Cacti produce roots that are generally called water-roots, which are adapted to water conditions, and can get easily infected when moved into compost later.