2 weeks Ago By STEPHEN BRUEGGERHOFF
Nothing brings indoor cheer to my household more than a Christmas cactus in bloom. Christmas cactus and related species are unique in that they belong to the Cactus Plant Family, do not form spines but express bold-colored flowers in season. They are easy to cultivate, and I offer details to identify two popular species and give you the gift of easy-to-follow tips for care.
There are three species that are sold in the popular market: Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata), Christmas cactus hybrids (S. x buckleyi) and Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri). These cacti are epiphytes, which are non-parasitic plants growing in leaf litter collected in the crotches of tree branches or rock crevices.
Each species is naturally distributed in humid habitats in the coastal mountains of southeastern Brazil. Modern cultivated species of Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus were originally collected by European horticulturists cultivated in England from the mid-1800s. When we look at the plants, what we may naturally call a leaf is gracefully arching cladodes, which are dark-green photosynthetic flattened stem segments.
The beauty of these plants lies in their graceful architecture and their blooms: these unique cacti seasonally produce vibrantly colored erect tubular flowers, hybridized to elicit colors ranging from eye-popping fuchsia, deep red, translucent peach to snow white. You may have a plant that blooms completely out of its namesake’s season and sold as Christmas cactus, the common name making it a little tricky to tell the species apart. Under the right growing conditions, Thanksgiving cactus (S.
truncata) will naturally bloom earlier in the fall and with cladodes expressing outward-facing toothed margins. Christmas cactus (S. x buckley) blooms around this time of year and each cladode offering rounded margins.
The key to consistent annual flowering is related to photoperiod; each species initiates blooms when daylight periods shorten between 8 to 10 hours and exposed to longer periods of uninterrupted dark at night. Florists and skilled hobbyists can initiate blooms out of season by simulating longer dark periods and excluding exposure to light. They will also bloom when combined with cooler nighttime temps between 50 to 55 degrees, typical of our fall season and will not initiate bloom at nighttime temps above 65 degrees.
Look for Christmas cactus varietals Gold Charm expressing translucent golden-yellow petals, Red Ruffles shouting deep red flowers and White Christmas to match the season. These cacti make great hanging baskets and container plants. While each plant can be grown throughout its life in a container filled with potting soil appropriate for succulent plants (mixture of peat moss, sand and perlite), I like to cultivate mine in a wire basket lined with coconut coir and filled with a well-draining media blend made up of orchid and container potting mix.
For irrigation, let the soil dry slightly between watering to keep the plant from getting waterlogged and water regularly during the spring and summer. Reduce watering during the fall and winter when growth is slowing. They can be kept near a window indoors with exposure to bright, indirect light year-round, and under cover of a patio as weather and temperature permits.
You will have to bring the plant into the house or provide protection during winter if we have sustained temps below 50 degrees. These holiday cacti can continue to bring joy during this season with just a little bit of care and gardening knowledge. Browse online to our website for more practical gardening information: brazoria.
agrilife.org/horticulture/ . Season’s greetings to you and your family, I look forward to serving you with outstanding horticulture programs, and I will see you in the garden.
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