Crab cactus or the “Claw cactus”
The Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) can be easily identified by looking for pointed edges on the leaves and keeping track of when it blooms.
- Due to their characteristics that make them easier to create in large quantities, ship, and display, this is the most popular Christmas cactus found in stores.
- The points on the leaf edges, which may resemble tiny saw blades or pointed teeth, make them easy to identify.
- These flowers feature a horizontal growth habit, zygomorphic (differently formed upper and lower sides), and yellow pollen on the anther (you may want to look up a diagram).
Schlumbergera x buckleyi | Christmas cactus (United States)
- Your Schlumbergera x buckleyi, which was originally a hybrid between Schlumbergera russelliana and Schlumbergera truncata, may have all scalloped leaves (“clades”) or leaves with scallops and points.
- These blooms have pink pollen, a symmetrical shape, and a downward growth pattern.
Schlumbergera bridgesii | Christmas cactus (years ago)
- This one typically has more rounder, scalloped-edged leaves (referred to as “clades”).
Between October and February and again between March and May, Schlumbergeras can produce white, pink, orange, or red flowers.
Rhipsalidopsis | Easter Cactus
- Along with the Easter Cactus’ longer blossoming period, Schlumbergeras’ flower form is noticeably different from that of the Easter Cactus.
- Look for rounded, upward-facing flowers and flat, rectangular leaves (“clades”) with somewhat scalloped edges.
These are occasionally mistaken for epiphyllum hybrids known as orchid cacti. The confusion surrounding names and identity never ends!
Easter trivia questions But long regarded as belonging to a distinct genus, the subgenus Rhipsalidopsis has lately been included into Schlumbergera, although many Cactaceae (cactus plant family) experts have not yet accepted this move. It will be interesting to watch how this shift is received over time.
More Information: This article, Recognition and Culture of the Holiday Cacti, provides examples and descriptions of the variations between many holiday cacti.
Save your friendship instead until the evidence is overwhelming. Try to identify your plants by their botanical names, and agree that a plant is attractive regardless of its popular name.
On your Christmas cactus, have you ever noticed little roots that resemble whiskers emerging from the leaves? Any epiphytic plant will experience this (“air plants). These roots would aid the plant in securing to its host in the wild.
What symptoms indicate a Christmas cactus?
The holiday season has here, which not only calls for decorations but also festive plants! At this time of year, there are many lovely holiday plants to pick from, whether they are bought from a florist, nursery, or are grown at home. The Christmas cactus is one of the most popular plants to give or receive at this time of year. Or is it a Thanksgiving or Easter cactus?
The three cacti differ from one another in terms of how their leaves are shaped. The edges of the leaves of the Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumgera truncata) are very sharply pointed and shaped like claws. The leaf projections of the Christmas cactus (Schlumgera bridgesti) are more scalloped or teardrop shaped. The edges of the leaves of the Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaertnerrii) are extremely rounded and centered.
These three cacti are all classified as short-day plants. Therefore, the plant needs low temperatures and 12–24 hours of darkness in order to bloom. If you overwintered your plant outside or bought it from a florist or nursery, you should keep it in a cold, dark place until the buds appear. The optimum location is an infrequently used bedroom or lower level. The Easter cactus gets its name from the fact that it takes 8–12 weeks of short days to bloom as opposed to the Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti’s roughly six weeks. It can be brought into a warmer environment once the buds start to form for your enjoyment. At this stage, a plant may occasionally start to lose its buds. That might be caused by air currents, warm temperatures, an abundance of water, or direct sunlight. Bright light is good for the plants, but not direct sunlight. Before watering, the soil should be completely dry to one inch below the surface. Fertilizing or repotting shouldn’t be done when the plant is in bloom. The plants appear to thrive when they are root-bound.
You might see the Christmas and Thanksgiving cactus bloom once more in the spring, though perhaps not as lavishly as over the holiday season. Simply restore the plant to its short day settings to promote springtime blooming.
Unless they are overwatered, these plants are generally disease-free. If the plant turns crimson, there is either too much sun, not enough phosphorus, or not enough water. There are rumors of plants that have been passed down from generation to generation for more than a century. Take advantage of these easygoing holiday plants and establish a new gardening custom. Call the Linn County Master Gardener Hortline at 319-447-0647 with any and all of your gardening inquiries.
What kind of Christmas cactus do I have, and how do I know?
Your cactus can be identified by its leaf form. The leaves of the Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) have sharp protrusions that resemble crab claws. The leaves of the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesti) have rounded or teardrop-shaped projections.
What three varieties of Christmas cacti are there?
Thanksgiving cactus, Christmas cactus, and Easter cactus are the three popular holiday cacti, each of which is called after the season in which its blooms occur. All three are straightforward to cultivate and have comparable growth patterns and maintenance needs.
Today’s holiday cactus variations are available in magenta, pink, scarlet, as well as yellow, white, orange, purple, salmon, and apricot, however these well-known cacti are typically only available in red-hued hues. The Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti are tropical rain forest species, while the Easter cactus is indigenous to Brazil’s natural woods. All three are endemic to Brazil.
What distinguishes a real Christmas cactus from a fake Christmas cactus?
My mother used to refer to her Christmas cactus as a Thanksgiving cactus since it would be fully bloomed by the end of November when I was a child. I was a good boy and never questioned or challenged Mom. Mom was correct, and that was twenty or so years and a couple advanced degrees later. Schlumbergera truncata, the well-liked plant that is currently showing up in garden centers for the holiday season, is also known as the Thanksgiving or false Christmas cactus.
We must delve farther into the passionate love affair with the Christmas cactus in order to overcome this deceit. When we turn the clock 177 years back to 1840s England, we find William Buckley, a committed gardener, and his experiment of a Schlumbergera hybrid between two species. He combined S. truncata with S. russelliana to produce the S. x buckleyi hybrid, which was known as the real Christmas cactus. As you read this at home, you might be tempted to quickly explore the internet. If you do, you might find some outdated literature that refers to this cross incorrectly as S. bridgesii, which would add another degree of dishonesty. There are certainly some older works of literature that use Zygocactus as the genus.
You need to know a few more things at this point because you are horrifiedly staring at your fake Christmas cactus and unsure of where to look for the real one. You need to know a little bit about botany and it is difficult to pick out the imposters. The Schlumbergera’s “leaves” are actually flattened stalks known as cladophyll (phylloclades by some botanist). The faux Christmas cactus will have stems with an open branch habit and soft points or teeth around the borders. These points are simply a part of the stem that is heavily lobed; they are not spines. False Christmas cactus flowers will be cheerful and vibrant in hues of pink, white, peach, and salmon. They will be held for around 5 to 7 days at the tip of the stems, pointing slightly upward. Additionally, the blossoms will appear somewhat horizontal or flat. The stems of the genuine Christmas cactus will significantly arch downward and have a closed habit. The stems will have rounded edges with tiny, discernible points or nubs. The blossoms of a genuine Christmas cactus will be more spherical than those of an impostor, point downward, and follow the stem’s orientation. Reds, pinks, and carmine will be the colors.
You might come across the Easter cactus Rhipsalidopsis gaeteneri, a close relative of Schlumbergera as you go out on your quest to find the genuine Christmas cactus. You’ll be relieved to learn that they are rarely provided and have little financial significance in the garden retail sector. Additionally, as their name suggests, they bloom in the spring. However, if you do come upon one, what’s another plant, right?
Last but not least, I’m sure you read this article and only glanced at the genus name since, like me, you find it difficult to say (shlum-BER-ger-uh), and I doubt that did anything to assist. Just some quick information The Cactaceae family of real cactus includes the Schlumbergera, which thrives in environments that we typically do not connect with cacti. They inhabit trees like orchids and are found deep within South America’s tropical rainforest.
Wishing you luck on your exploration and do let me know if you add a genuine Christmas cactus to your collection.
What kind of plant resembles a Christmas cactus?
Years ago, I lost this plant, but I’d like to get another one. It resembles a massive Christmas cactus, however it just once bloomed for me. Before the plant began to blossom, I had it for nearly 4 years. My spouse referred to it as my “weed.” The flower is fuschia/red in hue. The only two images I have of it in bloom are the ones I’m including.
These are Epiphyllum, the orchid cactus, which is distinguished by its incredibly beautiful and vividly colored blossoms. Imagine them developing in a jungle, high in the treetops, in full bloom, in their natural environment.
Are there various types of Christmas cacti?
It’s time to party, have fun, and be merry during the holidays. As a result, this is a season associated with decorations. We make an effort to make our homes appear better overall, whether we’re talking about Christmas or any other holiday. What better way to accomplish this than by utilizing eye-catching plants like the Christmas cactus? Christmas cacti, sometimes referred to as holiday cacti, are popular seasonal plants that come in many varieties based on their growth patterns and blooming seasons.
Which of the following three Christmas cacti can you plant indoors? There are three primary varieties of Christmas cactus (holiday cactus): Schlumbergera truncata, Schumbelgera bridgesii, and Rhipsalidopsis gaertnerii. These three varieties of holiday cactus differ from one another in terms of leaf shape and flowering season. While Schlumbergera truncata possesses clear-cut, notably pointed edge projections, Rhipsalidopsis gaertnerii has distinctly rounded edges. On the other hand, the Schumbelgera bridgesii has leaf projections that are teardrop-shaped or scalloped.
This article aims to deconstruct the distinctive qualities and traits of the numerous kinds of Christmas or festive cacti. It will consider their development patterns, habitat needs, and flowering times.
Are Christmas and orchid cacti the same thing?
Plants that only bloom once a year in short but beautiful displays are frequently kept around by gardeners. This entails taking care of the plants throughout the year and watching for the stunning first blooms to open.
Some plants blossom at the end of the long winters and provide a springtime tonic.
The orchid cactus, which is closely linked to the more popular Christmas cactus, is one illustration. A few of the flat-leaved, lobed stems from a parent plant are broken off and placed into a pot of soilless mix to reproduce the plant.
Even if I occasionally plant into pure soilless mix and add the sand to the soil surface, I always add a little bit of sand to the cactus mix because all cacti thrive in light, well-drained soil. The sand eventually becomes a soil improvement by sinking into the ground.
The slips take root quickly, and soon the quickly expanding stems will spill over the pot’s edge. These stems will blossom after a year.
The branches begin their growth upright but become pendulous as they grow longer. Along the primary stems, lateral branches grow as the stems become longer. A good specimen plant can be created by planting about six slips in a six-inch pot.
Like the Christmas cactus, an orchid cactus enjoys bright light but does not like a lot of direct sun or scorching, midday sun.
The soil should be maintained somewhat dry throughout the winter, but it should never be allowed to entirely dry out since this could prevent the plants from blossoming.
Orchid cactus need to be slightly root-bound before they bloom because most cacti want to be pot-bound.
If the plant is fertilized a few times in the early spring and again after it blooms, the lovely, mid-green leaves will keep their healthy appearance.
The orchid cactus enjoys low winter temperatures like the Christmas cactus, which promotes the formation of buds. Due to its photosensitivity, it needs complete nighttime darkness in order to set buds.
The earliest flowers, which are brilliant red and funnel-shaped, appear around the beginning of May. Each bloom lasts for a few days, and buds develop over the course of three to four weeks.
The orchid cactus can be relocated outdoors for the summer in a spot that receives filtered sunlight, just like its cousin, the Christmas cactus, but the plant needs to be brought back inside before the risk of fall frost.
What shade are genuine Christmas cacti?
A cactus species known as Schlumbergerabuckleyi has fleshy, spinless stems that are separated into flat, leaf-like segments with scalloped margins. The stems first extend upward before sagging downward as they grow longer. On the terminals of the stalks, trumpet-shaped blooms with slender petals appear. They are up to 3 inches (7.5 cm) long, brilliant magenta-red to pink, and bilaterally symmetrical.
What shade is the Christmas cactus’ flower?
The Christmas Cactus, Thanksgiving Cactus, and Easter Cactus are the three most popular holiday cacti. Certain names were given to them because they bloomed during these festivals.
Brazil is the native home of all three plants. They are known as epiphytes and they grow on trees. Nowadays, you may get Christmas cactus with blooms of yellow, purple, orange, apricot, salmon, and white instead of the traditional pink, scarlet, and magenta.
The flat, chubby branches that support the blooms are called leaves, and this are how cacti are distinguished from other plants. The Thanksgiving cactus, commonly referred to as the lobster cactus, has leaves with hooked edges that resemble claws. The edges of Christmas cactus leaves are smoother and narrower than those of Thanksgiving cactus leaves. The leaves of the Easter cactus resemble bristles.
Since they are not drought-tolerant like regular cactus, all of the holiday cacti require routine watering. When a plant is growing, watering is required whenever the soil’s surface is dry. However, they shouldn’t be submerged, so make sure the pots drain correctly.
Cacti enter a period of dormancy after they flower, during which you can water them less frequently. This time of relative dryness is extremely important for the Easter cactus. However, you must begin watering whenever you notice fresh growth.
Your holiday cacti should be kept in a cool location, ideally between 50 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. They favor gloomy nights.
If your holiday cacti have a Y-shaped stem and it has two to five segments, you may easily distribute them by breaking off a piece of them. The stem should stay on the counter. The stem can be placed in a pot with a drainage hole once the cut end develops a callus. Put some sand and sterile potting soil in the pot. Give the stem time to take root, and soon you’ll have another holiday cactus flowering.
The Christmas Cactus
Schlumbergera bridgesii is the name given to the Christmas cactus in scientific terminology. The plant has a very long lifespan, and many people propagate the stems to pass the same plant on to subsequent generations.
From late November to early February, the Christmas Cactus blooms, and its blossoms hang down. Typically, the flowers are crimson, white, or yellow. It has purple-brown anthers and symmetrical blooms that are uniformly spaced throughout the flower tubes. The plants function best in a hanging basket because they drop down.
The Thanksgiving Cactus
Schlumbergera truncata is the formal name for the Thanksgiving catcus. The square, pincer-edged leaves give this plant its common name of “crab cactus” or “lobster cactus.” Its two to three inch long satiny flowers are pollinated by hummingbirds.
Between mid-Thanksgiving and late December, and occasionally in January, the Thanksgiving cactus blooms. When compared to the Christmas cactus, the blossoms spread slightly farther to the side. The flowers have yellow anthers and appear in a variety of colors, including white, red, and pink. Thanksgiving cactus blooms, in contrast to Christmas cactus flowers, are asymmetrical and develop horizontally from the tips of stem segment.
The Easter Cactus
Hatiora gaertneri is the official scientific name for the Easter cactus. The trumpet-like, flaring flowers have pointed, pink, red, and red petals. The plant occasionally blooms again in the fall around Halloween, but often it blooms in the spring in April and May.
These flowers, which come in a variety of colors including red, pink, and royal purple, are noticeably more vibrant than those on the Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus.
Of all the holiday cacti, the Easter cactus is the most challenging to grow and maintain. It cannot receive too much water. It cannot be submerged, either. It will lose its phylloclades if it becomes just a touch too dry. A soil moisture meter is something you should buy if you have an Easter cactus. Otherwise, your Easter cactus might never blossom.