A cactus called 'Adolf Hitler' - or perhaps not

Epiphyllum 'Reichskanzler Adolph Hitler' or 'Sherman E. Beahm'

My former employer in Holland, the late Kees Sahin, in addition to being an incredibly knowledgeable plantsman, had a fertile and mischievous mind, with a penchant for doing or saying outrageous things that would throw people off balance, usually to his advantage. Another passion was plant names: with a flood of introductions coming from the Sahin stable each year this was something we had to give a lot of thought to and would frequently be the subject of conversation on car journeys up and down The Netherlands. On one such journey he suddenly recalled that there had been an Epiphyllum named after Adolf Hitler, which appealed to his sense of shock value. Once back at home he wrote to his friend Gordon Rowley, the great cactus and succulent expert (and another highly idiosyncratic individual), for information. By return came an envelope containing two shoots with the name 'Adolf Hitler' written on them.

These were promptly rooted and grown on, and as a memory of two great plantsmen and an amusing conservation I kept one of them. It is now in flower on my bedroom windowsill. It has bloomed before, but for some reason I've missed the flowers, so this is the first time I've seen it in full - rather gaudy - glory. Last night it was sweetly scented, but now (mid-morning) there is nothing to detect.

A little research online tells an interesting story. It was raised by Curt Knebel, a great German breeder (information available here), and introduced in 1935 under the name 'Reichskanzler Adolph Hitler'- usually shortened and anglicised as 'Adolf Hitler'. This name having become unacceptable after the Second World War, it was 'officially' changed to 'Sherman E. Beahm', commemorating another Epiphyllum breeder and nurseryman) from Pasadena, California. One does have to wonder how he liked the designation 'Sherman E. Beahm' (syn. 'Adolf Hitler').

It is not an invasive plant.