Every twelvemonth about this meter , stores of all sorts sell something call Christmas Cactus , a flamboyant plant with segmented leaf that arches out over the sides of the great deal . Since most the great unwashed find the foliage relatively unimpressive , the seasonal specials are always sold in bud or with newly opened flowers . The retentive , tubular efflorescence , which appear at the ends of the stems , are made of many slender , pointed petals fused at the bases . prime colouring ranges from white to peach , orangish , purple , stand up , and red shades . Bi - colored variety are also wide useable .
Sometimes , merchandiser trying to make early sales event extend exchangeable - looking Thanksgiving Cactus pop out just after Halloween . To the free-and-easy buyer , these are bushed ringers for Christmas Cactus and intimately resemble the Easter Cactus sold in the outpouring . To make matters a little more complicated , the variousHoliday Cactiare all sometimes deal under the alien - sound name Zygocactus .
So , what is up with all of these Holiday Cacti ? Is it all marketing , or are they different plant life ? More to the point , if those showy peak seduce you , will your Thanksgiving / Christmas / Easter cactus survive for more than a few weeks ? Southerner , especially older ones , sometimes evidence tales of folk Christmas Cacti that have survived for generations . But are they talking about the same plants that now grace yard of big box entrepot ?
Photo viapracticalplantgeek.blogspot.com
Even reference sources differ on the specifics of Holiday Cactus nomenclature . The expert at Clemson University key Thanksgiving Cactus as a exclusive species , Schlumbergera truncata , Christmas Cactus asSchlumbergera bridgesii , and the close relate Easter Cactus asHatiora gaertneri . English phytologist Martyn Rix name Christmas Cactus as a crossbreed , Schlumbergeraxbuckleyi , created in the 1840s by a military man named Buckley , who crossedSchlumbergera truncatawithSchlumbergera russellianato create the progenitor of the modern hybrid Christmas Cactus .
What does all this intend ? For the modal someone , absolutely nothing . However , those who have nurture ancestral Christmas Cacti for X can roost assure that their holiday plants are essentially the same as the specimen that today ’s urban sophisticates corrupt in ill-scented shop to adorn their minimalist apartments . All Holiday Cacti are very similar , except for bloom sentence . They are native to areas near Rio de Janeiro inBrazil , where they live asepiphytes , non - parasitic plant that prosper in trees , deriving sustenance from the melodic line , water , and detritus that collect around them . This is secure news for those of us who be intimate them , as they do not require the bright sunshine required by terrestrial cacti . They also do not have the tart rachis of some of their relatives in theCactaceaefamily .
Most Holiday Cacti are sold arise in a soil - like potting commixture . However , they require excellent drainage , not to refer caretakers who refrain from flooding them with water day by day . Overwatering , which means watering before the soil is dry to the touch , can leave in potentially fatal rot . If your Holiday Cactus is not expand , cut back on the water and repot it in a mixture of 40 % perlite , available at garden center , and 60 % fresh potting mix . Those who hate repotting plants can take solace in knowing that Holiday Cacti bloom best when they are slightly pot - bound and only need repotting every 3 or 4 age .
All Holiday Cacti should come in before nighttime temperature fall below 50 ° F ( 10 ° C ) . prime bud sometimes drop off if the plant undergoes dramatic temperature changes . There is not much to be done other than avoid extreme point the next time . Fertilizewith a balanced , water - soluble houseplant fertiliser diluted to half strength . Stop fertilizing in late summer to encourage peak organization in Christmas Cactus and Thanksgiving Cactus . Resume about a month after the flowers have flower .
informant : gardenersapprentice.com
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