Do You Have a Thanksgiving or Christmas Cactus?

At this time of the year, some indoor gardeners may be surprised to find that some of their cacti are setting flower buds. The most commonly sold cactus plant is the Thanksgiving cactus; however, there is more than one species of this plant and numerous cultivars. The term holiday cactus is sometimes used when referring to the Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter species as a group.

Schlumbergera truncata, commonly known as the Thanksgiving cactus, blooms in late October and early November. This cactus has pointy edges on the pads or segments of the cactus leaves. The leaf-like segments are usually about an inch and a half long and an inch wide with prominent tooth-like marginal notches.

Schlumbergera bridgesii is the Latin name for the Christmas cactus. Its leaf like segments are smooth edged instead of toothed. This species blooms in December. There is also a third species, Schlumbergera gaertneri, commonly called the Easter cactus. This plant also has rounded edges on the leaf like segments and tuffs of hair in between the segments. Since this plant grows much more slowly, it is not likely to be sold as often as the Thanksgiving cactus.

These cacti come from Brazil and are natives of jungles rather than deserts. Hybridizers have crossed various plants to produce many cultivars of the Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti that bloom in a wide variety of colors.

All of the holiday cacti are easy to grow and may be placed outside during the summer. They must be brought indoors before the start of freezing temperatures, however. In its native Brazil the plant is used to heavy rain during the winter and drought in the summer. However, indoor cacti should be watered using the finger method. Stick your finger into the dirt and water the plant only when the soil is definitely dry. This plant will adapt to erratic watering schedules, but be careful not to over water it. The stems will rot if the plant is kept too wet for too long.

The bloom cycle is triggered by cool temperatures (55-60 degrees) and short day lengths, making it a perfect candidate for placement next to a drafty window in a room that is not used during the evening. Once the buds have set, the plant may be placed in a slightly warmer environment. And a cactus that has been placed on a drafty window sill in a warm room may bloom only on the cool window side. If this happens, just turn the plant so that each side is triggered to bloom and the set blooms may seen and enjoyed.

Holiday cacti may be propagated by breaking off leaf segments and dusting the ends with rooting powder. Place each leaf segment in potting soil and keep it watered and in a sunny location. The segments may take a few weeks to establish roots, but it is fairly easy to grow new plants. Holiday cacti may live for fifty years or more; however, older plants have woody stems which may suffer from rot or breakage. So, it may be wise to root a few leaf segments in order to have a replacement plant ready in case the parent is damaged. Enjoy your cactus whenever it blooms.