Zigzag cactus (Epiphyllum anguliger): care, flowering, propagation by cuttings

To care for a zigzag cactus, place it in bright but filtered light, water as soon as the growing medium begins to dry without ever letting it become waterlogged, and keep it above 15 °C while it is growing, then cool (11 to 14 °C) in winter to encourage flowering.

This zigzag plant (also written zig zag), also known as the fishbone cactus, is sold under the name Epiphyllum anguliger, but its accepted botanical name is now Disocactus anguliger. It is an epiphytic cactus that grows on trees: grow it like a forest cactus, not a desert cactus.

This guide, checked against Kew, the RHS and American universities, also covers the other species in the genus Epiphyllum.

🌿 Why bring a zigzag cactus into your home

The zigzag cactus gets its name from its flat green stems, with edges cut into a fishbone pattern. According to the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society), these stems are upright at first, then become trailing as they grow longer, making it an attractive hanging plant.

The same profile gives it a height of 0.5 to 1 m, with fragrant white flowers up to 10 cm across that bloom in summer and open at night. Find more hanging plant ideas in our guide to trailing indoor plants.

🔎 Zigzag cactus at a glance

According to Plants of the World Online (POWO), the database of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the accepted name of the species is Disocactus anguliger (Lem.) M.Á.Cruz & S.Arias, published in the botanical journal Willdenowia; the former name Epiphyllum anguligerum is listed there as a synonym.

POWO places it in southwestern and central Mexico, as far as the state of Hidalgo, and describes it as a succulent subshrub of the seasonally dry tropical biome. In the wild, according to Bucknell University's Biology Greenhouse, it grows as an epiphyte, attached to trees without harming them.

The RHS, like the plant trade, still groups it among the Epiphyllum, which is why both names are in use.

📋 Quick care guide

Essential growing guidelines, all in one place.

📍 Where to place a zigzag cactus: light and temperature

Place your zigzag cactus near a bright window, behind a sheer curtain: the RHS Epiphyllum growing guide recommends plenty of bright, filtered light and warns that direct midday sun, especially in summer, can scorch the stems.

Contrary to what you may sometimes read, this is not a plant for a dark room. University of California (UC) Master Gardeners offer a useful visual guide: light to dark green stems with slightly reddish edges indicate good lighting; elongated, weak stems indicate too little light; and scorched or yellowing stems indicate too much.

As for warmth, the RHS rates it H1B, meaning it can be grown under cover and moved outside in summer. Its guide calls for temperatures above 15 °C while the plant is growing, allows it to spend the summer outdoors in a warm, lightly shaded spot, and notes that most Epiphyllum will not survive below 10 °C: bring it indoors before nighttime temperatures fall below this threshold.

☀️ Ideal: Near an east- or west-facing window, or a south-facing window with a sheer curtain; in a hanging planter or on a high shelf

🌥️ Acceptable: A bright room without direct sun: it will grow well, but flower less often

🚫 Avoid: Midday sun through a window in summer, radiators, cold drafts, dark corners

🪴 Growing medium and repotting Epiphyllum anguliger

The zigzag cactus needs a light, very well-draining growing medium because its epiphytic roots do not tolerate standing water. The RHS recommends cactus potting mix with added grit, or a mix of 3 parts loam-based potting mix, 2 parts grit and 1 part multipurpose potting mix.

For a more airy, epiphyte-style mix, you can also start with our Hoya potting mix and lighten it with a little pine bark and perlite (see our perlite guide).

Repot infrequently: the RHS notes that Epiphyllum generally flower only when their roots fill the pot. Repot after flowering, into a pot just slightly wider than the root ball. For a large trailing plant, a heavy terracotta or plastic pot will help prevent it from tipping over.

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✂️ Caring for and watering the zigzag cactus (and Epiphyllum)

Watering is the key to caring for an Epiphyllum. From spring to fall, the RHS recommends keeping the growing medium slightly moist, never waterlogged, then just moist in winter, without ever letting it dry out completely. University of California Master Gardeners offer a practical guideline: let the top third of the growing medium dry out between waterings.

For fertilizer, the RHS recommends applying a small amount of cactus fertilizer every two weeks from early spring to fall; Master Gardeners suggest a low-nitrogen fertilizer, such as a 2-10-10 formula, once a month during the growing season.

To maintain humidity, group your plants together or place the pot on a damp gravel tray rather than misting it (see our article on misting).

💧 Watering: Water thoroughly once the top third of the growing medium is dry; empty the saucer

💧 Winter watering: Reduce watering during the cool rest period, without letting the growing medium dry out completely

🌱 Fertilizer: Low-dose cactus or low-nitrogen fertilizer from spring to fall

💧 Humidity: Use a damp gravel tray or group plants together, away from radiators

✂️ Pruning: Not needed according to the RHS profile; an overly long stem can be cut back, with new shoots growing just behind the cut (RHS guide)

🍂 How to get Epiphyllum to flower: zigzag cactus blooms

The secret to getting an Epiphyllum to flower is a cool, drier winter. The RHS guide recommends keeping the plant between 11 and 14 °C in winter and reducing watering: this rest period encourages flower buds to form. Once buds appear, move it somewhere above 15 °C and resume normal watering.

The zigzag cactus has white, fragrant, night-blooming flowers: the RHS says they bloom in summer, while Bucknell University says they flower from late summer to fall, adding that moths and bats pollinate them in the wild. Be patient: the RHS estimates that a plant takes 5 to 10 years to reach maturity and notes that a cutting-grown plant will flower much sooner than one grown from seed.

What about the fruit? The authoritative sources we consulted do not describe the zigzag cactus fruit, so we cannot comment on whether it is edible.

📅 Seasonal care calendar

🌱 Zigzag cactus propagation: in soil or water

Zigzag cactus propagation is simple and uses a stem segment, taken in spring or early summer. The RHS guide recommends sections 15 to 23 cm long, which should be left to dry in a warm place for several days so the cut can callus over.

Then plant them vertically 2.5 to 5 cm deep in cactus potting mix topped with grit, at 18 to 24 °C, keeping the growing medium just moist: rooting takes 3 to 6 weeks, and a cutting rooted in spring will generally flower the following year. Shorter segments can also root, but flower later. What about rooting Epiphyllum cuttings in water?

None of our authoritative sources describe this method for this cactus, so we recommend propagating it in a growing medium. If you try water, submerge only the callused base and transfer the cutting to a well-draining mix as soon as the first roots appear; our comparison of water and soil propagation covers both methods.

🐛 Zigzag cactus problems: soft stems, spots and pests

Most zigzag cactus problems are caused by watering or light. University of California Master Gardeners associate black, soft tissue near the growing medium with overwatering, and elongated, weak stems with insufficient light.

The RHS attributes brown spots or discolored stems to excessive sunlight, but also to overwatering or fungal diseases.

As for pests, the RHS lists mealybugs, aphids and red spider mites; Master Gardeners also mention fungus gnats. Check the stems regularly, especially around the base.

🌸 Our Epiphyllum varieties and other species in the genus

The genus Epiphyllum includes 10 accepted species according to the Epiphyllum genus on POWO, from Mexico to tropical America, as well as many hybrids. Our store offers Epiphyllum anguliger and our Epiphyllum chrysocardium; the table also introduces other Epiphyllum species you may come across, along with their sources. You can also find all our indoor plants.

🎨 Which plants to pair with your zigzag cactus

The zigzag cactus shares the needs of other epiphytes: filtered light, an airy potting mix, and watering once the mix dries out.

Pair it with Rhipsalis, another epiphytic cactus, whose slender stems contrast with its flat stems, or with Hoya, which enjoys the same light and well-draining mix.

In a hanging display, Dischidia ruscifolia and string of hearts (Ceropegia woodii) complete a trailing arrangement. To understand how it differs from a desert cactus, also read our guide to cacti and succulents.

⚠️ Is the zigzag cactus toxic to cats and dogs?

We could not find any authoritative toxicology information on the zigzag cactus. The RHS, POWO, Bucknell University, and the other university sources we consulted do not mention toxicity for this species, but a lack of information does not prove that the plant is safe. We therefore do not describe it as either toxic or pet-safe.

As a precaution, hang it out of reach of cats, dogs, and young children, and consult your veterinarian if an animal chews one of its stems.

✅ Our expert tips for success

A thriving zigzag cactus comes down to a few simple rules: bright, filtered light; a light, well-draining potting mix; watering as soon as the mix starts to dry; and temperatures above 15 °C while it is growing. To see its night-blooming flowers, give it a cooler, drier winter at 11 to 14 °C, with dark nights. And to propagate it, a 15 to 23 cm stem segment is all you need.