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How do I know what kind of Christmas cactus I have?
The difference between the three cacti is found in the shape of the leaves. The Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumgera truncata) has very pointed and claw shaped projections on the edges of the leaf. The Christmas cactus (Schlumgera bridgesti) has leaf projections which are more scalloped or tear drop shaped.
What is the difference between a Christmas cactus and a False Christmas cactus?
The true Christmas cactus will have stems that dramatically arch downwards with a closed habit. The margins of the stems will be rounded with small visible points or nubs. True Christmas cactus flowers will be more rounded than the imposter and will follow the direction of the stem and point down.
What are the different kinds of Christmas cactus?
Schlumbergera/Lower classifications.
How do I tell what kind of cactus I have?
The plants can be classified according to their shapes. There are the disc shape, the spherical shape, and the columnar shape. Certain cactus types can become very large, others remain very small.
What are the three types of Christmas cactus?
Holiday Cactus Varieties: What Are The Different Types Of Holiday Cactus. The three common holiday cacti, named for time of year the blooms appear, include Thanksgiving cactus, Christmas cactus, and Easter cactus. All three are easy to grow and have similar growth habits and care requirements.
How do you identify an Easter Cactus?
The Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri) blooms in the spring and sometimes again in the fall around Halloween. Its flaring, trumpet-shaped flowers have pointy pink or red petals.
Can you plant Easter Cactus and Christmas cactus together?
An old Christmas cactus can be combined in a single pot with a new plant, as long as neither plant is suffering from disease or pest infestation.
What do Christmas cactus leaves look like?
Leaves: The leaves of the Christmas cactus have a more rounded, scalloped edge. The tip of each segment is slightly curved but they can look almost straight across. Flowers: The flowers of the Christmas cactus are usually pink or white and bloom in December.
Is a Christmas cactus a true cactus?
The plant is not a true cactus and is not quite as drought tolerant as the name infers. However, it is a succulent plant and can store a reasonable quantity of water in the leaves. Christmas cacti are not only popular holiday gift plants, but they are also the subject of frequent debate among gardeners.
What color is a true Christmas cactus?
Light green colored sections that turn red. Horizontal Flowers. When you see a 6″ mature height x 9″ wide, 2″ long mid green sections with rounded edges rather than notches & with downward flower, you know you have found a True Christmas Cactus.
How many different colors of Christmas cactus are there?
The Christmas cactus (Zygocactus) is native to the South American jungles. The flowers bloom once a year and come in shades of fuchsia, yellow, salmon, pink, white, orange, red and sometimes will even have a combination of the colors. The Christmas cacti are tropical plants.
What is the most common type of cactus?
Growing a Saguaro Cactus The big size of this plant doesn’t mean that you cannot grow it indoors or in your home garden. In fact, the cactus is among the most common indoor cacti plants in the United States and other parts of North America.
What is this cactus called?
A cactus (plural cacti, cactuses, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales.Cactus. Cactus Temporal range: Late Eocene – Recent Order: Caryophyllales Family: Cactaceae Juss. Subfamilies.
How can you tell a succulent from a cactus?
Here are some of the plant characteristics to look for when identifying succulents: Leaf – shape, size and thickness. Color – of leaves, flowers or stems. Markings or bumps on the leaves. Flower – shape, color, number of blooms and petals. Stem – color, texture, length. Ciliate hairs. Epicuticular wax. Spikes, spines or smooth.
How do you look after an Easter cactus?
Care and Feeding: Easter cactus will thrive in bright, indirect light (sun or shade) and to get it to bloom on cue, put it in a spot where daytime and night temperatures fluctuate by as much as 20 degrees. Water it when the soil feels dry to the touch and give it a balanced fertilizer twice a month.
Do Easter cactus flowers close at night?
The blooms close at dusk and reopen as the day brightens. Unlike Christmas cactus flowers that only last four or five days, individual Easter cactus flowers continue to open and close for 10 to 14 days with plants having an effective floral display of about 20 days.
How do you propagate Easter cactus?
To propagate your Easter Cactus, in Summer you can cut off part of one of the stems with 2 or 3 “segments” attached. Wait a day or so for the cut to dry a little before inserting the lower segment a few centimeters / half an inch into a pot with compost.
Do you water a Christmas cactus from the top or bottom?
In general, water a Christmas cactus when the top inch or 2 of soil is dry. To help increase the humidity around your plant, fill the pot saucer with pebbles and add water to just below the tops of the pebbles (the pot shouldn’t be sitting directly in water). The air will become more humid as the water evaporates.
How do I get my Easter cactus to bloom?
How to Get Your Easter Cactus to Bloom. Your Easter cactus need equal amounts of dark and light for eight weeks prior to their spring blooming season. At night, aim for cooler and drier conditions, ideally around 50˚F. And while these plants like the warmth, don’t place your potted cactus near any direct heat source.
How do you force a Christmas cactus to bloom?
In order to further force a Christmas cactus to bloom, you’ll need to move the plant where it will receive about 12 to 14 hours of darkness. Bright, indirect light during the day is fine, however, Christmas cactus requires at least 12 hours of darkness at night in order to encourage bud development.
