Disocactus flagelliformis (L.) Barthlott

Horticultural & Botanical History

‘Grows spontaneously in South-America, and the West-Indies, flowers in our dry stoves early in June, is tolerably hardy, and will thrive even in a common green-house, that has a flue to keep out the severe frosts.  It is superior to all its congeners in the brilliancy of its colour, nor are its blossoms so fugacious as many of the other species.  No plant is more easily propagated by cuttings; these Miller recommends to be laid by in a dry place for a fortnight, or three weeks, then to be planted in pots, filled with a mixture of loam and lime rubbish, having some stones laid in the bottom of the pot to drain off the moisture, and afterwards plunged into a gentle hot-bed of Tanners bark, to facilitate their rooting, giving them once a week a gentle watering: this business to be done the beginning of July.’  [BM t.17/1787]. 

Cultivated in Europe since c.1690 and still grown [in 1838] on a substantial scale in Germany and elsewhere for the extraction of a heart stimulant drug.  [Don].

History at Camden Park

Listed in all published catalogues [T.297/1843].

Notes