The Unique Vining Succulent That's Perfect For Your Humid Kitchen Or Bathroom

There is nothing as exciting as getting a new houseplant and watching it thrive in your home. From witnessing new, tightly rolled prayer plant leaves appearing and unfurling to seeing snake plant pups crop up next to the mother plant, a flourishing indoor jungle is extremely rewarding. However, for your houseplants to do well, location is really important. Choosing the best spot in the house for your indoor plant means you don't have to worry too much about light, humidity, or heat. If you have a humid kitchen or bathroom, opting to bring in plants that thrive in these conditions allows you to enjoy your greenery without stressing about their happiness and health. One plant that is perfect for a humid location is the fishbone cactus (Epiphyllum anguliger). 

This unique vining succulent has beautiful trailing leaves in a fun zigzag pattern, and, under the right conditions, will bloom at night, producing large, fragrant white flowers. Growing to around 12 inches, it is a fairly small houseplant, but its distinctive stems bring intrigue to a home and make it a fantastic hanging plant. Furthermore, caring for a fishbone cactus is pretty easy, with it being a low-maintenance houseplant addition. When in bright, filtered light and epiphytic cactus compost, this plant will stay happy and healthy for years to come.

Its unique appearance isn't the only interesting characteristic of the fishbone cactus. The way it grows (and why it likes humid bathrooms and kitchens) is also pretty fascinating. The fishbone cactus is an epiphytic cactus, which means that, in its natural habitat, it grows on other plants. Instead of sending roots into the soil for water and nutrients, it gets what it needs from the air. The fishbone cactus comes from Mexico, where it lives happily in rainforests, attached to trees and absorbing moisture from its surroundings.

Knowing the native environment your houseplants thrive in allows you to recreate it at home and place your plants in suitable locations. If you have a fishbone cactus, a humid bathroom or kitchen is as close to a rainforest as you can probably get in a home! This allows your plant to get moisture from the environment. To ensure that your fishbone cactus stays healthy, stay on top of humidity levels. This plant does best when in a location with about 60% relative humidity. So, if your bathroom or kitchen often drops below this, consider other ways to raise the humidity, such as through misting or pebble trays.