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make in 1850 from a cross betweenSchlumbergera truncataandSchlumbergera russelliana , the true Christmas cactus ( Schlumbergeraxbuckleyi ) is now an heirloom and seldomsold onlineor in stores . as luck would have it , it is still keep by gardener passing it on .
These days , S. truncatais visit Thanksgiving cactus , Zygocactus , or “ imitation Christmas cactus , ” since most modern Christmas cacti ( along withS. russelliana ) are actually hybrids . Further elaborate things , Schlumbergera bridgesiiis listed as the former name ofS. russelliana . This complex family relationship make compare Christmas cactus vs. Thanksgiving cactus slenderly perplexing .
Photo: istockphoto.com
Easter cactus , meanwhile , is also known as bounce cactus . Botanically , it is calledSchlumbergera gaertneri , Hatiora gaertneri , orSchlumbergera rhipsalidopsis , with multiple sources considering the latter two names equivalent word of the first .
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter cacti bloom at different times of the year.
Both Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti typicallyflower in mid - to - late autumnor other winter . ( AlthoughS. russellianablooms in February or March , its interbreeding with the October or November - bloomingS. truncatato produce the original Christmas cactus apparently result in a plant that flowers near Thanksgiving ) . Growers can bring modern cultivar into bloom around either Thanksgiving or Christmas by the regulate temperature and hours of darkness the plants meet .
LikeS. russelliana , the Easter cactus usually flush in late wintertime or early leap . However , cultivator can also clock the plant to bloom close to the Easter vacation in any particular yr . If you are debating the meritoriousness of Christmas cactus vs. Easter cactus , keep in mind that Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti may produce a second littler flush of flush in springtime , while the Easter cactus blooms only once per twelvemonth .
Christmas and Thanksgiving cactus flowers are tubular, while Easter cactus has star-shaped blooms.
One well-heeled - to - smear dispute between Christmas and Thanksgiving cactus is the shape of their flower . Thanksgiving cactus flowers are zygomorphic ( bilaterally proportionate ) , while Christmas cactus blooms are radiosymmetrical ( radially symmetrical ) .
On the traditional Christmas cactus , which combine the two specie , the red and/or knock tubelike flowers with pink pollen dangle like bells decorated with tiers of curving “ petals ” ’ ( actually tepals ) . Meanwhile , the Thanksgiving cactus pop the question flowers in a wider range of colors , including yellow , lily-white , and purpleness , as well as reddish and pinkish . Held horizontally on the works , with their tiers of tepals swept back , they produce yellow pollen . The flowers of the Easter or natural spring cactus usually are red or pink with yellow pollen , but they have a more star - alike appearance than those of other vacation cacti . The number of points on those wiz varies .
To help oneself with holiday cactus identification , liken the blossom form in the above image ( from left to rightfield : Christmas , Thanksgiving , and Easter cactus ) .
Photo: istockphoto.com
Thanksgiving cactus stem segments have sharp projections, whereas Christmas and Easter ones are more rounded.
aboriginal to Brazilian rain forest , theholiday houseplantcacti develop on Tree there without the welfare of soil . That explicate why they take constant light moisture but moulder easy if observe too soggy . Rather than actual folio , thesesucculent plantshave 2-dimensional and segmented stem call phylloclades .
When debate whether your plant is a Thanksgiving cactus vs. Christmas cactus , keep in judgement that the Thanksgiving cactus also is known as the crabmeat cactus because its segments “ show their chela ” ( sharp projections ) . The segments of the original Christmas cactus are scalloped instead , while those of the Easter cacti are the most lightly rounded .
All three holiday cacti are short-day plants.
Both Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus are remind to set bud after daylight hours decrease in fall . They demand at least 6 weeks ’ worth of 13- to 14 - time of day dark to blossom .
works that hold the mostS. truncata(Thanksgiving cactus ) lineage run to bloom a bit earlier than those heavily crossed withS. russelliana . The Easter cactus require a more extended full stop of prospicient nights — usually 2 to 3 months of them — to set buds , which is why it usually does n’t bloom until substantially later than the other two holidaycactus houseplants .
Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter cacti require similar care.
Fortunately , Christmas cactus attention , Thanksgiving cactus guardianship , and Easter cactus tutelage are all similar . Give the plant life bright , indirect brightness level and moist , tight - draining land such as a compounding of cactus admixture and orchid bark . fertilise these succulentsonly during spring and summer , keeping them in a protected location if outdoors , such as under a porch cap or tall Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , where they can be left out long enough to experience shortening days and cooling temperature in autumn ( but only until temperature drop into the 40 - to-50 level Fahrenheit orbit — no lower ) .
After you bring them indoors , reduce their watering and target them where they receive 13 to 14 hours of perfect darkness every dark for 6 weeks—2 months for Easter cactus — with daytime temperatures between 65 and 70 point and nighttime ones between 55 and 60 arcdegree .
Then , shift them to where you want them to stay and re-start their regular watering schedule . quash moving your vacation plants after their bud form , or they may fall off .
Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera) in pot
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Photo: istockphoto.com
