What is this plant?
Lilydotwin
Posts: 30
Some years ago whilst on a motoring holiday in Austria, we walked back to the car through a rather unkempt garden on a mountainside. In an old urn was a straggly plant which had put out long shoots in every direction. Unknown to me at the time my husband snapped off a short piece of stem - about 2 inches - and put it on the rear window shelf. There it stayed for three months, until late November, when I took pity on it and stuck it in water. It quickly developed some roots, so I potted it on, and on again, until it is now in its permanent home hanging in a sunny windowsill. It is a succulent, rather like a huge ungainly Christmas Cactus. It is a light green in colour, grows in segments, and is not particularly pretty in appearance. I have rooted another one which I have trained to climb up a standard lamp by tying it into place. So why do I keep it? Because once or twice a year it sends out amazing pale yellow flowers, each about the size of a grapefruit. They come out in the evening and fill the room with an outstanding perfume. The fragrance is astonishing - the stop-you-in-your-tracks sort, but it only lasts for a few hours. The flower lasts a bit longer, then it shrivels and drops. I cannot find it in any of my books nor, so far, on internet sites. Although I found it outdoors on an Austrian mountainside, I cannot believe that that is its habitat! I don't think it would survive the winter out of doors here in Southern England. What is this plant?
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Photo?
Ooh yes, let's see a photo; just click on the tree icon above the text
My guess would be an Alpine, Austria being in the Alps. Sedum or Ragwort can have yellow flowers. I would search Alpine plants with yellow flowers to check online. I would be interested to know what it is.
I doubt Cestrum as Austria gets really cold in winter, esp mountains.
Thanks, Artjak. I didn't know how to post a photo. Isn't it lovely? Worth waiting the best part of a year for!
..have a look at Epiphyllum - the yellow Orchid cactus..and see if that's what you've got.... very nice whatever...
My mum has a ink one in a hanging basket. You propagate by a piece of stem cutting, let it dry and callus and then plant. So leaving it on the back seat of the car was serendipitous.
Salino, you've done it! I've just looked it up and there are loads of varieties and colours, and cheap too (on EBay for £3.99). When I read about the care and cultivation, I don't know how mine has survived! But, as they say, plants always want to live".....
Many thanks to all the responders.
Epiphyllum...so not a hardy plant.