Christmas cacti: Among the most popular houseplants, they find a warm place in homes around the world. Their easy care and enduring charm have made them a must-have.
Whether your grandmother generously gave you a cutting when you moved into your apartment, or you received one at an office Christmas party, it has pretty much outlived the time of this post.
If you’re considering joining this exclusive club of Christmas cacti enthusiasts or are looking for the perfect gift for a plant lover, now is the perfect time to buy one.
The Profusion of Christmas Cacti
Before you rush to the nearest plant, however, it’s important to understand how to choose the right one so that it will thrive for decades.
Christmas cacti belong to the Schlumbergera family. These hardy succulents are epiphytes in nature and thrive in unusual places in their native habitat. They cling to rocky surfaces, thrive in the crevices and crevices of tree branches, or wherever they can find a small pile of soil and organic debris. Then, after a period of hibernation, they burst forth into a magnificent display of tropical-colored flowers. They have been cherished for generations.
A Little Confusion
Let’s get one thing straight, though: many of the “Christmas cacti” currently available in stores are not true Christmas cacti.
Yes, it’s true—the retail world can play tricks on us.
The plants you see in big box stores and local supermarkets are members of the Schlumbergera family, but they are not true Christmas cacti. The ones you see are often called Thanksgiving cacti because they typically bloom closer to Thanksgiving. More specifically, these are Schlumbergera truncata, while the true Christmas cactus is Schlumbergera buckleyi. These are rarely found in stores.
These days, it’s not uncommon to find all Schlumbergera varieties labeled “holiday cactus,” which adds to the confusion. Don’t let that discourage you, though.
Any Schlumbergera variety would make an attractive addition to your houseplant collection, and the truncata variety looks especially vibrant when in bloom. Its segmented growth resembles a falling green floral display when the plant is not in bloom. When the holiday season arrives, whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, or anything in between, the blooms are spectacular.
For the sake of consistency, let’s call Schlumbergera plants available in stores this time of year “holiday cacti.” If you want a true Christmas cactus, don’t worry. We’ll walk you through the differences and help you find the real thing.
Choosing a Healthy Holiday Cactus: A Guide
