‘A Cactus is not just for Christmas’

Christmas Cactus are succulent  cultivars of Schlumbergera.

Tips For Growing Christmas Cactus

• As the name suggests in the Northern hemisphere and the UK these plants normally flower between November and February
• Flower buds are stimulated by shortened day length and need 12 hours  uninterrupted darkness from late summer through autumn.
• To encourage Christmas flowering, from September, they need 8-10 hours of daily sunshine (don’t we all). A bright windowsill will suffice but cover in darkness the rest of the day.
• Postion plants to avoid domestic lighting or cover every night with blackout material.
• Keep temperature below 18c but above 10c
• Fluctuating temperatures can cause the buds to fall but so can over watering

Christmas Cactus Varieties

• Schlumbergera x buckleyi  have fleshy stems not leaves.
• Stems are divided into flattened leaf-like segments with scalloped margins  and they can grow quite long and droop over the edge of a pot.
• Schlumbergera x bridgesii another Christmas Cactus  do not have spines like many cactus
• Easter cactus, also known as a spring cactus are not members of the Schlumbergera family. They look similar, bloom in spring but are Rhipsalidopsis gaetneri or Hatiora gaetneri plants.