Selenicerus sp. Snake Cactus

Well, some of you may know my love for snakes, i was just lucky enough to stumble across this stuff at the Cairns Botanical Gardens (Flecker Memorial Gardens).

Selenicerus sp. and common name Snake Cactus. It was growing up the side of a HUGE palm tree and looked quite healthy. I must have knocked it, because a bit fell off and landed in my girlfriends hand bag, we only discovered it when we got home, so it was too late to go back and return it where we accidentally bumped it.

Anyhow, my question was.. Now that I have this cutting (accidentally) what is the optimum growing conditions. To me it looks like it suits a slightly shaded habitat and maybe even hanging baskets. Does that sound realistic?

Or is this one best to grow in large pots?

Watering habits? It did say it was Mexican, but it sure didn't look like a Mexican species.

I might upload a photo of the sign... maybe there's some cacti around it

Just trying something - I uploaded using the 'host a picture' thing... this photo was taken using my mobile camera so apologies of quality...

There are about 27 varieties of Selenicerus - none that I know of can jump from a join and land in handbags - so there are probably 28

From what I can tell - they like humidity and you should keep the soil moist and well drained.

Snake Cactus, or Princess of the Night might be Princesa de la Noche. If so pot it up in an orchid substrate, not a sandy mix like desert cacti.

There's a few Queen of the night varieties too - from Eastern Mexico and the Caribbean

Cool, thanks...

I will call this species the Mexican Jumping Cactus... I swear, it jumped right off that plant and into my girlfriends handbag... She was just as suprised as I was when we got home....

Orchid mix - thanks for that info... I will do that.

Lucky I live in a very humid part of the country! And not to mention I got the cutting... I mean, the cutting fell into my girlfriends bag not far frommy house So no temperature changes for it!

It's a tropical cactus definitely not from Mexico. It's main habitat is Jamaica and Cuba. Stick it in the ground I say.

Jamaica? No, she went of her own free will

I would stick it in the ground, but... I am only renting, so I am better to stick it in a large pot.

So you're saying that the sign is incorrect, it is not a Mexican species at all?

Should I tell the good folk at Flecker Memorial Gardens? I might fail to mention how bits keep jumping off and falling into people's bag!

Some vars are from eastern mexico as well as Caribbean (jamaica etc)

I see, so it could be a Mexican variety after all...

Yeah I should have said that, they just inhabit the non typical cacti community in Mexico. Sorry about the confusion. Areas like Guatamala (spelling?) are tropical, or similiar.

in general, i would think keeping like hylocereus would be good.