Can a Red Orchid Cactus Survive Outdoors?

Temperature Considerations

• Plants like the red orchid cactus are generally raised as houseplants in cold winter areas. They flourish naturally in exceptionally warm climates, like those in the American Horticultural Society's heat zones 12 through 5. Areas within those zones experience between 30 and 210 days per year when the temperature rises to 86 degrees Fahrenheit or above. Red orchid cactus can be brought outdoors in late spring and will be fine as long as its basic cultural requirements are met, but it does best in summer when temperatures are over 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Culture

• For optimal growth, red orchid cactus needs a loose potting medium. Some gardeners mix orchid bark or perlite with standard potting mix to achieve this. Plants grown from cuttings may not flower at first, as they bloom best when the roots are somewhat pot-bound. Outside, the best light situation for the orchid cactus is one with full morning sun and light shade in the afternoon. Plants brought outside sometimes bloom shortly after being exposed to this light combination. Water sparingly. Red orchid cactus needs water only when the top 1/2 inch of soil is dry to the touch.

Uses

• Outdoors, red orchid cactus can be used in hanging baskets, which showcase the long, pendulous leaves and flowers. The plants can also be displayed on pedestals or tall plant stands on porches, terraces or even positioned in garden beds. They might also be grouped with other cactus-type houseplants, such as Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi), hardy in USDA zone 11 through 12, as well as succulents with similar water and light requirements. Houseleeks, or hen and chicks plants (Sempervivum tectorum), hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8, are a good complement to red orchid cactus.

Confusion

• Most red orchid cactus cultivated as houseplants are hybrids, but a few may be cultivated varieties of Disocactus ackermannii. The hybrids and the species are similar in appearance, zone hardiness and amenability to outdoor culture in temperate weather. There is some confusion, even among orchid cactus lovers, about which red orchid cactuses are hybrids and which belong to the species. Both the hybrid type and the ackermannii species include varieties with flowers in colors other than red. Both are also sometimes misidentified as members of the Epiphyllum genus.