Cactus in form of fingers with bright orange flowers
by Emma
(Arbuckle, CA)
Its a pinkish green when its outside, but i have seen it in offices where it is bright green. I guess sun exposure has a lot to do with color. It bloomed in the spring.
Drought Smart Plants reply;
Hi Emma - I'm thinking that this plant belongs to a group of plants known as the Rat Tail Cactus and going by the botanical name of Aporocactus flagelliformis. They form a group of trailing stems, eventually reaching 40-50 cm long (around 14-20") and sometimes longer, depending on the species or hybrid.
They usually won't bloom until they're thoroughly root bound, and as you say the blooms are a vivid orange, but they can also be in shades of purple, pink and a violet red.
Each bloom only lasts a short time, but new ones open over a span of about two weeks. Second year growth produces the most flowers.
You're absolutely correct that light plays a big part in their colouring, but luckily, they are quite adaptable to most conditions except extreme wet.
Their natural habitat is on cliffs, rocky ledges and in trees, so they require excellent drainage.
Happy Succulent (or Cactus if you prefer) Gardening,
Jacki