Unbelievably, you might have a Thanksgiving-themed cactus rather than a Christmas-themed one! Despite having extremely similar appearances, the two plants are distinct.
Unfortunately, the fact that these Christmas succulents are sometimes mislabelled at garden centres contributes to the confusion between them. Furthermore, the misunderstanding is exacerbated by the fact that they both bloom in the late fall or early winter. But it’s good to know which one you actually possess. How to tell them apart is as follows:
Thanksgiving Cactus (Schlumbergera truncata)
The Thanksgiving cactus’ leaves can be used to distinguish it from the Christmas cactus. The leaf segments, or “phylloclades,” have pointed spines and are serrated or “toothed,” with 2-4 on each side.
Because of this, these succulents are known as “Crab Claw Cactus.” The final segment’s end has a point on either side and a little concavity.
Thanksgiving cactus flowers are created at the tips or the point where the leaf segments converge. They look like a long tube, like a flower inside a flower.
They normally bloom around Thanksgiving and come in a variety of hues, mostly pastels, such as red, pink, peach, purple, orange, or white.
Observe the pollen-bearing anthers as well.
Christmas cactus anthers are pink to purplish-brown, and Thanksgiving cactus anthers are yellow.
Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii)
The Christmas cactus has leaves with a more rounded, scalloped edge. Although each segment’s tip has a small curvature, they can appear practically straight across.
Christmas cactus blooms often bloom in December and are pink or white. But if you notice flowers on these plants between March and May, don’t be alarmed.
Easter Cactus
Unbelievably, there is also an Easter cactus (Hatiora gaertneri), and you got it, it blooms in April. The leaves of these succulents feature a strong ridge on one side and tiny bristles.
The flowers are more shaped like stars. They originated in Brazil’s native, temperate woodlands. Although this cactus is significantly more susceptible to over- or under-watering, use caution when watering it.
What shades are available for the Christmas cactus?
One of the most vibrant flowering houseplants is the Christmas cactus. When the days become shorter, this low-maintenance plant blooms and puts on a spectacular display over the holiday season. Christmas cacti come in a broad range of hues, including pink, red, crimson, orange, gold, cream, and white, as well as bicolors, in which a single flower displays many hues simultaneously.
This easy-to-grow flowering houseplant has been a beloved holiday decoration for many years. In fact, a lovely Christmas cactus has evolved into something of a family heirloom, being handed down down the decades.
Christmas cacti are magnificent holiday plants when they are in bloom, with their vibrant flowers shining like diamonds at the ends of their stems. Christmas cacti display jagged foliage when not in flower the rest of the year, lending credence to one of their other common names, crab cactus.
Nota: The Christmas cactus is sometimes referred to as the Thanksgiving or zygo cactus.
Questions about Christmas Cactus? Send us an email if you have any inquiries concerning your Christmas cactus. An expert from our team will be pleased to attempt to assist!
Christmas Cactus Growing Instructions
For the most blooms, grow Christmas cacti in direct sunlight. It may also grow in low or medium light, however the darker it gets, the less blossoms this beautiful houseplant produces. Christmas cacti can tolerate direct sunlight on their leaves inside.
When the top inch or two of the potting mix get dry, water the Christmas cactus. In comparison to fall and winter, spring and summer are when it prefers a little more water.
Christmas cactus should be fertilised with a houseplant-specific fertiliser in the spring and early summer. For information on how much fertiliser to use and how frequently to apply it, refer to the instructions on the product container.
Christmas cactus requires ordinary to high humidity because it is native to tropical rainforests. While Christmas cactus can handle low humidity levels, you might discover that it thrives and blooms more when the humidity is higher.
The Christmas cactus thrives at ordinary temperatures, although milder fall temps of roughly 55F (13C) can encourage it to bloom.
How can you distinguish between a Thanksgiving cactus and 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 centred.
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 rumours 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 shades are Thanksgiving cacti available in?
The popular Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti, Schumbergera truncata and Schumbergera x buckleyi, are native to Brazil and bloom in the fall and winter. They come in a wide range of hues, including red, rose, purple, lavender, peach, orange, cream, and white. These Schlumbergera species are excellent choices for hanging baskets because to their pendulous stems, which allow them to grow as epiphytes among tree branches in gloomy rain forests.
Thanksgiving cactus typically flower around Thanksgiving, about a month before Christmas cacti bloom, when planted under regular night length conditions. The Easter cactus (Hatiora gaertneri; synonym Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri), which blooms intermittently throughout the year with pink or red flowers, is another member of the group of cacti sold as holiday decorations. The Thanksgiving cactus is most frequently found for sale during the winter holiday season because of when it blooms. If the plants are kept at 68 oF, flowering can extend up to 7 to 8 weeks.
You can tell the Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus apart by observing the shape of the flattened stem segments, or phylloclades as they are known botanically. Each of these stem segments on the Thanksgiving cactus has 2 to 4 saw-toothed serrations or projections along the borders. The Christmas cactus has more rounded stem edges. Both of these holiday cactus lack genuine leaves, thus photosynthesis takes place inside the green phylloclades.
Based on the colour of the pollen-bearing anthers, a second way to identify between these two Schlumbergera species. The Thanksgiving cactus has yellow anthers, whereas the Christmas cactus has purplish-brown anthers.
How many hues are there in a Christmas cactus?
The Schlumbergera truncata, sometimes known as the Christmas cactus, blooms from October through January. The species and its variations, sometimes known as the Thanksgiving or holiday cactus, are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 through 12. Most frequently grown as a houseplant, the Christmas cactus blooms in a variety of hues, including the classic red as well as purple, pink, orange, gold, and white.
What distinguishes an Easter cactus from a Thanksgiving Christmas cactus?
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. The leaves of the Easter cactus (Schlumbergera gaertnerrii) have rounded edges.
How frequently do blooms on Thanksgiving cacti?
A Thanksgiving cactus will bloom once a year in the late fall if the appropriate circumstances are met. Thanksgiving cacti: How Long Do They Live? Holiday cacti are frequently handed down through the generations due to their extraordinarily long lifespan. With the right care, a Thanksgiving cactus can live up to 100 years.
Does my Thanksgiving cactus need deadheading?
Christmas is typically not a time when desert-dwelling flora are highlighted because the holiday generally honours brisk pine tree forests, chilly temperatures, and snowfall. The Christmas Cactus is an exception, though, as it is indigenous to Brazil’s rainforests. It’s difficult to miss this plant during the season with its long flat stems and beautifully coloured flowers. The Christmas Cactus will offer you tonnes of flowers in pinks, reds, purples, and white while it’s tough to get your other cactus to bloom. Possibly not always the colours of the season, but nonetheless lovely.
Perhaps you saw one at the florist or your neighbour decided to give you a Christmas Cactus as a gift in appreciation for your assistance in setting up the lights (well done!). You’re unsure of what to do with it as it sits in your living room, however it got there. You could be a little confused by the fact that it’s a cactus because they are frequently associated with moodiness around water. But unlike its relatives, this cactus is not terrified of water and has very few sharp parts, so it won’t bite. Discover how to take care of your Christmas cactus by reading on.
No life jacket requiredWatering your Christmas Cactus
The Christmas Cactus adores the water, contrary to what you might be used to (swimming, water polo, and perhaps even a little skinny dipping!) It prefers to have regular waterings that thoroughly wet the soil. Despite the fact that you should let the soil dry up a little bit in between your planned waterings, you should never let it become fully dry. This may impede the growth of your plant and lead it to lose all of the carefully tended flowers!
Warm hugsDon’t give your cacti the cold shoulder
The ideal temperature range for your Christmas Cactus should be between 15 and 21 degrees Celsius, despite the fact that hugging cacti is generally not advised. Like any warm-blooded plant, try to keep it away from draughts and vents. For these guys, a constant temperature is optimal. Although bright light is prefered, excessive amounts of direct sunlight can burn the stems.
A life after ChristmasWhat to do with your Christmas Cactus after the season
Deadhead all the wasted blooms to keep your cacti looking their best during and after the Christmas season. Additionally, this stimulates the plant to keep on blooming. You can continue to enjoy your cacti after Christmas until it eventually stops blooming. But once it does, don’t get rid of it! Whether or not they bloom, these cacti make stunning houseplants. And chances are it will blossom for you once more the next year, and occasionally even in the midst of the year. (Bonus!)
You can prune it at the start of the summer by cutting back a few of the stems’ lankier portions. Similar to getting a haircut, this fosters further growth and allows it to blossom once more.
Whether or not it is the holiday season, your Christmas Cactus will stand out from the rest of your houseplants thanks to its tall stalks and vivid blossoms! Enjoy its distinctive design in your house.