Mature size & growth rate

How big does Selenicereus anthonyanus (Selenicereus anthonyanus) get?

Also called Rick Rack Cactus, Fishbone Orchid Cactus.

More about selenicereus anthonyanus

About Selenicereus anthonyanus

Selenicereus anthonyanus · also called Rick Rack Cactus, Fishbone Orchid Cactus · houseplant

An easy, fast-growing epiphytic cactus from southern Mexico, instantly recognised by flat, deeply zigzagged stems that resemble a fishbone or rickrack ribbon. Grown mainly as a trailing foliage plant, it occasionally rewards mature, well-rested specimens with large, fragrant nocturnal flowers that last a single night. It is happiest cascading from a hanging basket.

Mature size: Stems trail to around 0.6-1.2 m, occasionally longer, spreading 30-60 cm wide.

Indoor size vs how big it gets in the wild

Selenicereus anthonyanus does not get tall — it gets long. Size here is about stem length and how you train or cut it, not how much floor it claims. Indoors and in a pot, expect stems trail to around 0.6-1.2 m, occasionally longer, spreading 30-60 cm wide.. A pot, your light levels and a little pruning are what set the final size in a home, far more than the plant's theoretical potential.

Growth shows up as lengthening stems that trail down or climb up a support; the plant can be kept tiny or grown metres long from the exact same root system.

Growth rate and years to mature

Selenicereus anthonyanus is a fast grower. Realistically, expect one to three growing seasons — fast vines can add a metre or more of stem in a single good summer. Its feeding profile backs this up: feed every two to four weeks in spring and summer with a balanced houseplant feed at half strength, switching to a higher-potassium feed to encourage blooming. pause feeding over winter.

Want this turned into the right next pot at the right moment? The pot size calculator and the selenicereus anthonyanus repotting guide cover when and how much to size up — pot size is one of the biggest levers on how fast selenicereus anthonyanus grows.

How to keep selenicereus anthonyanus smaller

You are not stuck with the maximum size. For selenicereus anthonyanus specifically, these are the levers, in order of impact:

Trim the longest vines back to the length you want — selenicereus anthonyanus takes hard cutting well and bushes out from the cut.
Cut just above a leaf node; each trimmed stem usually branches into two, so pruning makes it fuller, not sparser.
The cuttings root easily in water or mix, so "keeping it smaller" doubles as free new plants.
Expect to tidy it every few weeks in summer — this is a fast vine that will sprawl if left.

The keep-it-smaller method, step by step

Decide the length you want. Pick the point each vine of selenicereus anthonyanus should stop — you can be aggressive; it regrows readily.
Cut just above a node. Snip about 0.5 cm above a leaf node so the stem branches there instead of dying back.
Root the cuttings. Drop the trimmed pieces in water or mix — they root in 2-4 weeks and can fill the same pot for a bushier look.
Repeat as it runs. Re-trim whenever it overshoots; regular light pruning keeps it both smaller and fuller.

How to grow selenicereus anthonyanus bigger or faster

If you want it to fill the space sooner, push the conditions rather than hoping — for selenicereus anthonyanus the accelerators are:

Good light plus a moss pole or trellis triggers the longest, fastest, largest-leaved growth.
Give it something to climb — many vines grow far faster and bigger up a support than trailing.
Feed through spring and summer and keep it consistently watered while it is actively running.

Light is almost always the ceiling. The selenicereus anthonyanus light requirements page covers exactly how bright a spot it needs to grow at its potential instead of stalling.

When selenicereus anthonyanus outgrows the room (or the pot)

"Too big" usually arrives as one of these signs for selenicereus anthonyanus:

Vines pooling on the floor or wrapping past where you want them — purely a trimming cue, not a repot one.
Bare, leggy stems with leaves only at the tips (usually a light problem, not a size one).
A tangled mass that has outrun its support and needs cutting back and re-training.

If it is the pot rather than the room, it is a repotting job, not a goodbye — see the selenicereus anthonyanus repotting guide. If you want more of this plant instead of a bigger one, the selenicereus anthonyanus propagation guide turns prunings into new plants.

Selenicereus anthonyanus size — frequently asked questions

How big does selenicereus anthonyanus get?

Selenicereus anthonyanus reaches stems trail to around 0.6-1.2 m, occasionally longer, spreading 30-60 cm wide. when grown indoors. Growth shows up as lengthening stems that trail down or climb up a support; the plant can be kept tiny or grown metres long from the exact same root system.

Is selenicereus anthonyanus slow or fast growing?

Selenicereus anthonyanus is a fast grower. Expect one to three growing seasons — fast vines can add a metre or more of stem in a single good summer. Selenicereus anthonyanus does not get tall — it gets long. Size here is about stem length and how you train or cut it, not how much floor it claims.

How long does selenicereus anthonyanus take to reach full size?

Roughly one to three growing seasons — fast vines can add a metre or more of stem in a single good summer. Light, pot size and feeding move that timeline more than anything else.

How do I keep selenicereus anthonyanus smaller?

Trim the longest vines back to the length you want — selenicereus anthonyanus takes hard cutting well and bushes out from the cut. Cut just above a leaf node; each trimmed stem usually branches into two, so pruning makes it fuller, not sparser. The cuttings root easily in water or mix, so "keeping it smaller" doubles as free new plants. Expect to tidy it every few weeks in summer — this is a fast vine that will sprawl if left.

How can I make selenicereus anthonyanus grow bigger or faster?

Good light plus a moss pole or trellis triggers the longest, fastest, largest-leaved growth. Give it something to climb — many vines grow far faster and bigger up a support than trailing. Feed through spring and summer and keep it consistently watered while it is actively running.