This succulent makes a great gift and can rebloom for many years to come
Most Christmas cactus sold now are hybrids, which come in several colors beyond magenta or white. Debbie Arrington
Cactus for Christmas? In California, Schlumbergera – the Christmas cactus – has become ubiquitous during the holiday season.
According to floral experts, this succulent is the second most popular holiday plant for gift giving, behind only poinsettias. Unlike poinsettias, Christmas cactus are much easier to get to rebloom – and these plants can live more than 100 years.
Like other succulents, they’re easy care, easy to divide and easy to share with friends. That also makes Christmas cactus perfect for the season of giving.
Christmas cactus became holiday stars because they bloom in mid-winter. An epiphyte native to Brazil, these plants grow on moss-covered trees in rain forests. They like indirect light, some humidity and relatively warm temperatures – about 65 to 70 degrees. That makes them an ideal houseplant, too.
Most of the Christmas cactus now selling in nurseries and stores are Schlumbergera x buckleyi; that’s actually a hybrid cross of Thanksgiving cactus and true Christmas cactus species, combining the best traits of each. It has more color possibilities (including Christmas red) than true Christmas cactus while blooming later than Thanksgiving varieties.
Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata), which tends to bloom in November as its name implies, has very pointed claw-shaped projections on the end of its segmented leaves. It also has the widest color range: White, pink, red, peach, purple, orange and combinations. Its flowers tend to point upwards.
True Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera russelliana), which blooms in late December, comes in two hues: Magenta and white. Its flat segmented leaves are the smoothest, with a few notches around the edges. Its long tubular flowers dangle at the end of its long stems, making this an ideal hanging plant.
These two cacti have a close cousin that blooms in early spring: Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaetneri). When not in flower, it looks very similar to Christmas cactus but blooms later (typically March) and has tiny bristles on the edge of its leaf segments. (It’s the one that most likely will prick your fingers.) Its flowers are star-shaped instead of tubular and very vibrant in shades of white, peach, magenta, pink, red, purple and orange.
Easter cactus bloom last because they need the most darkness to prompt blooms. Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus need about six weeks of short days (with more than 13 hours of darkness), while Easter cactus requires 12 weeks of long nights.
That’s the key to getting these cacti to rebloom year after year: Make sure they get enough darkness (and a little cool) in the early fall. Schlumbergera need exposure to cooler temperatures (55 degrees) as well as darkness to cue its bloom cycle.
The easiest way to assure your cactus doesn’t miss its blooming cues: Put it outside in a shaded, protected spot in summer. Once the buds start to form in November, bring the plant back indoors.
Here are some more tips to keep your Christmas (or other holiday) cactus looking good:
* Treat your cactus much like a poinsettia. These succulents prefer temperatures on the warm side, ideally 65 degrees.
* Make sure its pot has drainage. Poke holes in foil if the plant comes gift wrapped.
* While assuring good drainage, keep soil evenly moist while cactus is blooming, misting it once a day. The flowers appreciate that extra humidity.
* These plants need moderate light to bloom. Place the cactus in an east-facing window so it can get some direct sun.
* But keep it away from heat or drafts; that will cause it to drop its buds.
* To keep this cactus in flower longer, fertilize every two weeks with high-potassium fertilizer designed for houseplants.
Comments
0 comments have been posted.Sacramento Digs Gardening to your inbox.
Thanks to Our Sponsor!
Local News
Sites We Like
Garden Checklist for week of Nov. 3
November still offers good weather for fall planting:
* If you haven't already, it's time to clean up the remains of summer. Pull faded annuals and vegetables. Prune dead or broken branches from trees.
* Now is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from fall and winter rains.
* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies and snapdragons.
* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.
* Plant garlic and onions.
* Keep planting bulbs to spread out your spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.
* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.
* Rake and compost leaves, but dispose of any diseased plant material. For example, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.
* Save dry stalks and seedpods from poppies and coneflowers for fall bouquets and holiday decorating.
* For holiday blooms indoors, plant paperwhite narcissus bulbs now. Fill a shallow bowl or dish with 2 inches of rocks or pebbles. Place bulbs in the dish with the root end nestled in the rocks. Add water until it just touches the bottom of the bulbs. Place the dish in a sunny window. Add water as needed.
* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.
* For larger blooms, pinch off some camellia buds.
* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant.
* To help prevent leaf curl, apply a copper fungicide spray to peach and nectarine trees after they lose their leaves this month. Leaf curl, which shows up in the spring, is caused by a fungus that winters as spores on the limbs and around the tree in fallen leaves. Sprays are most effective now.
Powered by California Local
