Rhipsalis platycarpa

6" HANGING BASKET, XL 3.5" ~1' PLANT, or THREE 2" STARTER PLANTS
Rhipsalis platycarpa
USDA Zones 9a-11
 
Rhipsalis is an epiphytic jungle succulent native primarily to the tropical rainforests of South America. There are over 30 named varieties of Rhipsalis. All of the different types have a relatively similar growth pattern (trailing/hanging), however, their stem size, shape, & length can vary greatly. 
 
The environment in the jungle is partial shade with warm temperatures, heavy humidity, & frequent torrential rains. To keep your Rhipsalis healthy, you will want to emulate these conditions. Make sure your plant receives bright to moderate indirect light inside & partial shade with morning sun if you keep your plant outside during warmer months. Keep your plant in a naturally humid room in your house, such as the kitchen or bathroom, or supplement humidity with a pebble tray, humidifier, or occasional misting. Make sure the soil stays evenly moist, but not wet. Avoid any stagnant water at the bottom of your pot. Once the top 1" - 2" of soil is dry it is time to water again. When you water, emulate the torrential rains by saturating the soil - water until you see water coming from the drainage hole. As long as you have a container with a drainage hole + well draining soil & you wait until the top soil is dry before you water, you do not have to worry about using too much water when you water. It is important to saturate the soil, so the plant's roots have enough moisture to distribute to the rest of the plant. Don't hesitate when watering! Soak .. that .. soil!
 
What is an epiphytic plant & why is it significant?
Tropical jungles are made of tall trees, whose leaves & branches create a canopy that shades most of the jungle from the sun. Once you reach the forest floor there is barely any light. Plants need sunlight in order to photosynthesize, or create food, which they were receiving very little. In order to survive, some plants began to evolve. They started to leave the forest floor & move up, finding a home in the nooks of trees along their trunks, on rock surfaces - ultimately any place where they could compete with taller plants for adequate sunlight.
Problem solved? Not quite! Why did these plants start on the floor to begin with? 
Generally, plants use their roots to take up nutrients & water - both of which are vital for the plant's survival - from the soil. Is there soil high in the trunks of trees or on the surfaces of rocks? No! While there is some organic matter in the tree tops, there isn’t nearly as much as there is on the jungle floor. To adapt to this location the plants became epiphytic. Epiphytes take up nutrients & water through their leaves, as well as their roots. This allows them to collect moisture from the humidity in the air.
Since epiphytic plants have another vessel to collect nutrients & water, their root systems are naturally shallow/small. 
 
Rhipsalis platycarpa has a broad flat leaf that changes to the color red with prolonged sun exposure. This variety's folaige/stems are significantly larger than most Rhipsalis. For this reason, it can take more sun than those with thinner stems. 
This variety has incredible, relatively large yellow flowers! They line the foliage up & down creating a stunning show!
 
Our 3.5" size plants are not pictured (yet)! They may only have a 3.5" size root ball, but they are large plants! Each one has at least 1 stem that is ~1' long! Most have more than 2 branches.
 
If you ordered the XL 3.5" plant or the (three) 2" starter plants, you will receive your plant(s) bareroot without a pot.
If you ordered the 6" hanging basket, you will receive your plant bare root with the hanging basket it was grown in.