flowers in the the corsi gardens

	our favorite flowers - orchid cactus
	Orchid Cactus 'Deutsche Kaiserin' aka 'Giant Empress'	Close-up of the beautiful flower of the Orchid Cactus, epiphyllum. This plant was given to me three years ago. It doesn't look like much for most of the year - flattened, sword shaped leaves, some of which have nasty thorns on the edges. In Mid-March, the Orchid Cactus bursts into bloom and makes up for its unassuming appearance.
	These pictures were taken in Mid-April. By the end of the month, this plant will be almost solid flowers. Some of the leaves can get to be 1 1/2 to 2 feet long and completely covered with flowers.
		Flowers grow along the margins of the flattened leaves. (Click picture to enlarge.) The small white dots along the edge of the leaf will each become a flower bud.
		This picture is a side view of the flower. It continues to grow length-wise from the center until it reaches a length of four to five inches.
	There are many varieties of the Orchid Cactus. Some have scented flowers, others have flowers which open at night. This variety is not a night bloomer and is not scented, but is beautiful just the same. The San Diego Epiphyllum Society is the best site for info, sources, and contacts about this plant.