Holiday Cactus

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Double R said:
Who has them?
Do you know there are 3 different ones???
A Christmas Cactus which is pretty rare.
A Thanksgiving Cactus which is almost always sold as a Christmas Cactus when its actually not.
An Easter Cactus which is sold in stores as an easter cactus when it really is ;)
I have some of each and really enjoy them.
I only have one true Christmas cactus that I was just given a cutting off of. I'm dying to see it bloom but it will be a few years.
I'll get some pictures of some of my thanksgiving cactus blooms as well as post a few photos of the differences between the 3 as soon as I get in from the fields.
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I honestly didn't know that there are 3 different ones. A couple years ago, one of my local stores was selling some for 50 cents. I bought 6 because I thought I would give them as gifts. I repotted them and they were just finished blooming, which is why they were so inexpensive. I have given one away as a gift. They always bloom in early November and were done blooming before Thanksgiving. Some of them have just started blooming again. I know that with them being lined up, they will each bloom at different times. It may have to do with the angle and amount of sun that comes through the window.

Now I want a true Christmas cactus. My daughter is into succulents and has many varieties. They are so interesting.
 
BBQJoe said:
This is a cactus that used to stand at our restaurant. Some folks estimated it at 250-300 years old.
I believe at one point it was the largest Saguaro in town.
One winter it rained and rained for weeks.
The cactus drew up so much water that it just couldn't hold itself up any longer, and began to lean towards the addition we had put on., threatening to crush the building.
Sadly we had to pull it over. When it hit the ground, it was a huge thud.

Just for fun once I listed it on ebay! https://imgur.com/DRCWoYt


DRCWoYt.jpg
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I love saguaro cactus. It is interesting how old many are and how long it takes them to grow. Isn't an area where they grow called a forest?
 
Weedygarden said:
I love saguaro cactus. It is interesting how old many are and how long it takes them to grow. Isn't an area where they grow called a forest?
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That is one forest where the "Tree Huggers" :eyeballs: don't hang around. Off and rolling again, OR just off. :woo hoo:
 
Weedygarden said:
I honestly didn't know that there are 3 different ones. A couple years ago, one of my local stores was selling some for 50 cents. I bought 6 because I thought I would give them as gifts. I repotted them and they were just finished blooming, which is why they were so inexpensive. I have given one away as a gift. They always bloom in early November and were done blooming before Thanksgiving. Some of them have just started blooming again. I know that with them being lined up, they will each bloom at different times. It may have to do with the angle and amount of sun that comes through the window.

Now I want a true Christmas cactus. My daughter is into succulents and has many varieties. They are so interesting.
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True Christmas cactus are very rare.
If I get my cuttings growing well I’ll send you some cuttings if you don’t find one before mine is able to be split.
The above Christmas cactus blooms are the mother plant my cutting are off of.
 
Double R said:
True Christmas cactus are very rare.
If I get my cuttings growing well I’ll send you some cuttings if you don’t find one before mine is able to be split.
The above Christmas cactus blooms are the mother plant my cutting are off of.
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I would really like some Christmas cactus. I had no idea there were 3 types of these cactus, so now I will keep an eye open for them.
 
Double R said:
True Christmas cactus are very rare.
If I get my cuttings growing well I’ll send you some cuttings if you don’t find one before mine is able to be split.
The above Christmas cactus blooms are the mother plant my cutting are off of.
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I would really appreciate that. I want to go to my local nursery and see what seeds might be in that I can start now and to see what holiday cacti they might have.
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schlumbergera

Pests and diseases
In cultivation, these plants have been described as "remarkably free from pests and diseases". Two significant insect pests are aphids on young shoots, buds and flowers, and root mealybugs which attack below soil level. Stems and roots can be rotted by diseases caused by fungi and similar organisms; these include infections by species of Fusarium (a fungus), and Phytophthora and Pythium (both water moulds). Approved chemical treatments can be used in the case of insect attack or these diseases.[33]

Aphids, mealybugs and other invertebrate pests can spread viruses. Symptoms vary with the species, but a loss of vigour is usual. Cactus virus X has been isolated from S. truncata. There is no treatment for virus diseases; it is recommended that infected plants be destroyed.[33]



A friend just asked how to propogate these:
  • Propagation - Both commercially and in the home, propagation can be achieved by using short pieces of stem, one to three segments long, twisted off rather than cut. Cuttings are allowed to dry for 1–7 days, forming a callus at the broken end, and then rooted in an open growing medium. Temperatures above 21 °C (70 °F) and up to 27 °C (81 °F) in long day/short night conditions speed rooting.
 
Grandma had one in the family room. It bloomed every year at Easter and Christmas. She gave it to my aunt and it did not bloom for 3 years. Aunt gave it back to her and it started blooming again. It was probably 3 feet in diameter. I always thought grandma had better luck because of the lighting. That woman could grow potatoes and carrots in a concrete slab.
 
Cnsper said:
Grandma had one in the family room. It bloomed every year at Easter and Christmas. She gave it to my aunt and it did not bloom for 3 years. Aunt gave it back to her and it started blooming again. It was probably 3 feet in diameter. I always thought grandma had better luck because of the lighting. That woman could grow potatoes and carrots in a concrete slab.
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Where plants are located in a house can make a difference in how well they do. Orchids are a good example. It may be that your aunt did not have it in a location the plant liked or she may not have watered it in the way it liked. I have a few of these cactus. The one in my kitchen window always blooms the best, but it may be that it gets more water than the rest.
 
I had seen something a while ago about there actually being around two main types (Truncata and Buckleyi) and about 6 colors.

Schlumbergera_cultivars_variation.jpg


Schlumbergera is a small genus of cacti with 6-9 species found in the coastal mountains of south-eastern Brazil. Plants grow on trees or rocks in habitats that are generally shady with high humidity, and can be quite different in appearance from their desert-dwelling cousins. Most species of Schlumbergera have stems which resemble leaf-like pads joined one to the other and flowers which appear from areoles at the joints and tips of the stems. Two species have cylindrical stems more similar to other cacti. Recent phylogenetic studies using DNA have led to three species of the related genus Hatiora being transferred into Schlumbergera,[1] though this change has yet to receive widespread acceptance.

Common names for these cacti generally refer to their flowering season. In the Northern Hemisphere, they are called Christmas cactus, Thanksgiving cactus, crab cactus and holiday cactus. In Brazil, the genus is referred to as Flor de Maio (May flower), reflecting the period in which they flower in the Southern Hemisphere. Most of the popular houseplants are cultivars of Schlumbergera, with flowers in white, pink, yellow, orange, red or purple. The Easter or Whitsun cactus is also called a holiday cactus and has flowers in red, orange, pink and white. It was until recently placed in the genus Hatiora. The cultivars of Schlumbergera fall into two main groups:

  • The Truncata Group contains all cultivars with features derived mainly from the species S. truncata: stem segments with pointed teeth; flowers held more or less horizontally, usually above the horizontal, whose upper side is differently shaped from the lower side (zygomorphic); and pollen which is yellow. They generally flower earlier than members of the Buckleyi Group and, although common names are not applied consistently, may be distinguished as Thanksgiving cactus, crab cactus or claw cactus.
  • The Buckleyi Group contains all cultivars with at least some features clearly showing inheritance from S. russelliana: stem segments with rounded, more symmetrical teeth; more or less symmetrical (regular) flowers which hang down, below the horizontal; and pollen which is pink. They generally flower later than members of the Truncata Group and are more likely to be called Christmas cactus.
Contents
Description[edit]
In the wild, the species of Schlumbergera grow either on trees (epiphytic) or on rocks (epilithic) and can form sizeable shrubs with woody bases; a height of up to 1.2 m (4 ft) has been reported for one species (S. opuntioides).[2] They are leafless, the green stems acting as photosynthetic organs. The stems are composed of segments, which take one of two forms. In most species the segments are strongly flattened (cladodes), being made up of a central core with two (or more rarely three) "wings". Special structures characteristic of cacti, called "areoles", then occur at the ends of the segments of the stem. In two species the stems are less flattened, more cylinder-shaped, and the areoles are arranged in a more or less spiral pattern all over the segments. In both cases, the areoles, which may have wool and bristles, are where the flower buds appear.[3]


Zygomorphic flower, probably of a cultivar in the S. Truncata Group, cut in half to show its internal structure
The flowers either hang downwards and are almost regular (radially symmetrical or actinomorphic) or, as in most species, are held more or less horizontally with the higher side of the flower different from the lower side (radially asymmetrical or zygomorphic). In those species whose flowers are held up, their angle with the horizontal is relatively constant and is characteristic of the species. Each flower has 20–30 tepals. The outer tepals – those closer to the base of the flower – are short and unconnected, and spread out or curve backwards. The inner tepals – those towards the tip of the flower – are longer and become progressively more fused together at the base to form a floral tube. In some species the difference between the outer and inner tepals creates the appearance of a "flower within a flower". The flowers produce nectar in a chamber at the base of the floral tube.[3]

The many stamens are arranged in two series, which is a distinctive characteristic of the genus. The inner stamens are fused at the base to form a short tubular structure. The outer stamens arise from along the floral tube. The style is usually dark red and has a stigma with 6–8 lobes; the style plus stigma is roughly the same length as the stamens. If the flower is fertilized, a fleshy fruit forms, either smooth or with ribs. The brown or black seeds are about 1 mm in diameter.[3]
 
Weedygarden said:
I just read through this thread again. I wonder if this plant is totally gone? I was seeing the comment I made about spider mites. That is still my guess of what the problem was with this plant.
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Rust. And highly contagious. Tried like crazy to get rid of it but it just continued to come back in different spots. Spread like wildfire. A few plants that got it minor when I knew how to treat it at that point survived fine but any slight stress and it would come back. All effected plants ended up being disposed of. To this day if i find any on survivors they get disposed of.
Did figured out where it came from. No longer do business with that nursery. Found multiple other bugs and diseases once I learned what to look for.
Have seen it plenty since at nurseries on plants for sale. Including Lowes plants. Most places here apparently don’t care if they sell sick plant and that it spreads. Called a cactus nursery owner out (nicely) on it who played dumb but knew how to treat it and pretended to start quarantining effected plants. I left after finding it on table after table of plants and when I went back by a few days later the plants that she knew were contaminated were back out.
 
Double R said:
Rust. And highly contagious. Tried like crazy to get rid of it but it just continued to come back in different spots. Spread like wildfire. A few plants that got it minor when I knew how to treat it at that point survived fine but any slight stress and it would come back. All effected plants ended up being disposed of. To this day if i find any on survivors they get disposed of.
Did figured out where it came from. No longer do business with that nursery. Found multiple other bugs and diseases once I learned what to look for.
Have seen it plenty since at nurseries on plants for sale. Including Lowes plants. Most places here apparently don’t care if they sell sick plant and that it spreads. Called a cactus nursery owner out (nicely) on it who played dumb but knew how to treat it and pretended to start quarantining effected plants. I left after finding it on table after table of plants and when I went back by a few days later the plants that she knew were contaminated were back out.
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I wonder what it would take for a place like that to rid themselves of it? My guess is to throw every plant with symptoms away a.s.a.p.
I often wondered about the spider mites that my daughter had on her plants, if she brought them in when she brought in new plants.
 
Weedygarden said:
I wonder what it would take for a place like that to rid themselves of it? My guess is to throw every plant with symptoms away a.s.a.p.
I often wondered about the spider mites that my daughter had on her plants, if she brought them in when she brought in new plants.
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Quarantine and treatment is a long term process. But just like with livestock it should be common practice.
I’ve seen shipments come in from major nurseries to retailers that have clear rust and it’s just put out for purchase.
When I buy plants now which isn’t often after that mess I only buy from private parties with health guarantees.
Spider mites I’ve seen often at succulent/cactus nurseries. Don’t see treatments taken seriously. Pretty good possibility it was purchased with them if what I’ve seen here the last few years is common practice now. Money over health.
 
I got a holiday Cactus for Christmas & all I do is water it once a week, & rotate the pot when the plant starts to grow toward the window.
Can not believe it has lasted 14 months.
 
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