What Is A Christmas Cactus

Christmas cactus popular cactus that is grown for its colorful flowers blooming indoors about christmastime in the northern hemisphere.

What is a christmas cactus. A thanksgiving cactus which is the same genus schlumbergera as a true christmas cactus but a different species has leaves with curved pointed teeth whereas the christmas cactus has rounder leaves. The plant is a hybrid that features flattened spineless stems. Schlumbergera truncata and s. However after the flower buds have set christmas cacti can withstand lights on at night.

For the flower buds to set christmas cacti need 14 hours or more of continuous darkness per day. The recommended moisture reading may depend on the manufacturer of the meter. The christmas cactus schlumbergera is a very popular houseplant even if you ve never grown one you re probably already familiar with the plant s bright tubular flowers. If the soil gets too dry the flowers buds will drop and the plant will wilt.

Christmas cactus blooms according to a set schedule generally when the amount of daylight is between 8 and 10 hours a day for a period of 6 weeks. Gardeners typically grow christmas cacti indoors but you can grow them outdoors in usda hardiness zones 9 to 11. It usually grows as an epiphyte and is native to rainforests in brazil. The christmas cactus scientific name schlumbergera is a succulent houseplant native to brazil that produces bell shaped blooms in shades of red pink or white this tropical plant has a november to december bloom time and it s also known as holiday cactus.

Unlike the other christmas favorite poinsettia christmas cactus is not toxic to dogs and cats. At that time simply move it away from the window. Christmas cactus likes a bright window most of the time but not in summer when the more intense sunlight can burn foliage. Unlike most desert cacti this variety cannot tolerate completely dry soil.

The christmas cactus is a brazilian coastal plant known as an epiphyte. These also make unique gifts around the holidays and are spectacular alternatives to poinsettias or holly. With a few tricks you can easily get this tropical plant to. Just like an orchid christmas cacti grow on top of other plants trees or rocks.

Although the christmas cactus is a true cactus it is of the tropical variety and is used to growing as an epiphyte off tree branches in areas of heavy moisture and high humidity. Poinsettia is famously poisonous to dogs and cats. Native to the rainforests in brazil the christmas cactus is a popular low maintenance houseplant and a favorite pass along plant that can live for years.