Which one do you have?
I used to think that my plant was a Christmas Cactus until someone politely corrected me one year. Although it was identified as a Thanksgiving cactus that is supposed to bloom in the fall, mine chooses to do so 2-3 times a year.
This plant is probably the longest surviving indoor plant that I have ever cared for. It thrives in my home unlike so many other plants beside a Spider Plant that is a prolific baby manufacturer, lol.
I think I have had this plant for approximately 17 years now and it is still going strong. I am going to have to up-pot it soon as it has once again become pot-bound. I think I may even trim back a lot of the branches as they have really become leggy.
Apparently, they can grow around 2 feet in diameter and I would have to say mine is about that size now. You can see by the close-up photo of the main stalk she is of a good age. I took this photo this morning of the buds and she is about to bloom for the third time.
Caring for Holiday Cacti
Unlike the desert cacti which prefer very dry conditions, the holiday cacti varieties love moist, well-draining soil. In its natural environment, you can find them in the jungles of South America growing on old, rotting wood.
Soil -
Using humus-rich potting soil would be ideal for a happy, healthy plant. I use coco coir or peat moss mixed with orchid bark and some perlite to help with drainage.
Watering -
I water my cactus twice a week to keep the soil a bit on the moist side. Sometimes I forget and the soil gets really dry, which they don't usually like, yet mine has been very forgiving. Every morning I take a misting bottle of gathered rainwater and give all my plants a nice overhead mist. The Thanksgiving cactus loves it especially during the winter months when the house becomes much dryer. I can almost feel her thanking me every day.
Light -
I have a south-facing window where most of my plants are kept offering them a good deal of bright light. In the spring and summer months, I have to move the cactus out of the direct sunlight into a filtered area of the room. I have found that it does not like the hot sun beating on it during the summer months as it would often start to look stressed.
I keep it out of the direct sun until early fall when the strength of the sun decreases. I then will move it back to the table in front of the window until winter is over and spring arrives once again. I believe that is why my cactus always blooms so prolifically due to the change indirect lighting. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly it begins to form buds.
Fertilizing -
I barely remember a fertilizing schedule in my head and I am not one to make notes when I do. Thus, I use a 6-month slow-release fertilizer made by Osmicote. It serves me well for all my indoor plants. I give them a fresh dose when I repot all of them first thing in the spring when I start to see new growth appearing. At least for me, this works very well and I don't have to do a monthly schedule.
Propagating -
I am going to give my plant a good cutting back to help strengthen some of the branches. I will let the stems harden overnight to form a callus so they don't rot when I pot them into a fresh soil mix. I have done a couple of stems over the winter, which is not the right time, but I broke a couple stems when I was turning it. They did take and put down roots to my surprise and now are showing signs of new growth. I will have to pass this little plant on to someone else to enjoy.
Identifying Holiday Cactus Variations -
Thanksgiving Cactus - Schlumbergera truncata
Blooms in late fall around Thanksgiving and it has pointy, claw-shaped points on the leaf edges.
Christmas Cactus - Schlumbergera x buckleyi
Flowers between Christmas and the beginning of January as a rule. This cactus is easily identified by the flat leaf segments that are more rounded with scalloped edges and spinless stems.
SOURCEEaster Cactus - Schlumbergera gaertneri
Blooming begins in March and can continue through the month of May. The leaf segments are rounded with tiny bristles on the edges. The flowers are more star-like compared to the tubular flowers of the other two holiday cacti.
SOURCE
Like I said before, my Thanksgiving cactus bloomed on time in mid-fall, then again in February in the photo below, then again this week at Easter time. I have new buds forming and look forward to enjoying some more of natures beauty.
February -
April -
If you have a cactus that you were unsure of the variety you had, I hope that this post has helped you to identify the correct one. As you can see, given the right conditions it will bless you with more than one flowering. All the photos are mine except the two that I sourced. Happy gardening to all.
Until next time, this is Sunscape
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