Ceratostema rauhii is an amazing rarity that you might never guess is in the blueberry family.  It makes a dramatic curtain of chain-like stems up to 6 feet long!  Throughout the year, bright pink, bell-shaped blooms appear along the shoots.  This unique plant comes from the cloud forests of Peru, where it is considered endangered.  It is an outstanding collector's plant that is rarely seen for sale.

 Ceratostema grows as an epiphyte on trees in the wild.  It looks best when grown in a hanging planter and allowed to spill over the edges.  While its stems may look rather sharp & stiff, they are surprisingly soft and fuzzy, adding a great tactile element to the garden.  If the shoots happen to grow too long, simply trim them back.  The inch-long flowers peek out from between the leaves all along the shoots, especially on the newer growth.  These 5-petaled blossoms are pollinated by hummingbirds in the wild.  After pollination, it makes round, translucent berries that are lightly sweet and reportedly high in antioxidants.

It comes from a mild climate with cool nights, so it prefers conditions enjoyed by cool- to intermediate-temperature Orchids.  Daytime temperatures below 84°F (29°C) are best, with nights between 40 and 65°F (4-18°C).  I don't think it can survive frost.  It likes bright light, but shade it from strong sun.  

Grow it in a fine-grade epiphytic mix.  A typical mix is equal parts of small bark, perlite, long-fiber sphagnum moss, and either coco fiber, peat moss or potting soil.  It likes slightly-acid conditions, so don't add lime to the mix.  Keep it evenly moist (but not soggy) and feed moderately.  Over about 50% humidity is best, with some air flow.  If your water is high in minerals ("hard" water), consider using rain water or bottled spring water.

Photos used with permission of the S.F. State University greenhouse

Check availability

Detailed tips on growing this plant