Scientific Name
Schlumbergera x buckleyi (T. Moore) Tjaden
Common Names
Christmas Cactus, True Christmas Cactus, Holiday Cactus
Synonyms
Schlumbergera buckleyi, Epiphyllum x buckleyi (basionym), Zygocactus x buckleyi
Scientific Classification
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Rhipsalideae
Genus: Schlumbergera
Description
Schlumbergera x buckleyi is a cactus with fleshy stems that are divided into flattened leaf-like segments with scalloped margins. They do not have spines, and they do not have true leaves. The stems start outgrowing upwards, then droop down as they lengthen. Trumpet-shaped flowers with narrow petals develop on the ends of the stems. The bright, flashy flowers are bilaterally symmetrical and up to 3 inches (7.5 cm) long.
Photo via roanoke.com
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 9a to 11b: from 20 °F (−6.7 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
These plants are easy to grow and are often passed down through the generations. With Holiday Cactus, the million-dollar question isn't how to grow it, but how to make it bloom. With a little extra attention during the fall months, you can have your plants blooming for the holidays. Don't expose these plants to freezing temperatures! Despite their love of cooler temperatures, they are still tropical plants that won't withstand freezing conditions. They like about 50% to 60% humidity, which can be achieved using a pebble tray. Never place your Holiday Cactus near a heat register, exterior door, or drafty window and keep it out of burning sunlight.
Don't fall into the trap of constantly repotting into a bigger pot. Holiday Cactus likes to be root-bound, and repotting every 2 to 3 years (even back into the same pot) is plenty. If you repot, use a sterile, well-draining potting soil.
Holiday Cactus can easily be propagated by cuttings. Pinch off a section of stem that has 2 to 3 jointed segments. Let the cuttings dry for a few hours, then push them in a small pot with the same planting mix as the adult plant.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Holiday Cactus.
Origin
Schlumbergera x buckleyi is a hybrid of Schlumbergera truncata and Schlumbergera russelliana, originally produced in the 1840s by William Buckley at the Rollisson Nurseries in England. Extensive hybridization and selection have resulted in more than 200 named cultivars, differing mainly in flower color, which ranges from white through pink to fire engine red and even peach, yellow, and orange. Most cultivars bloom around Christmas time, but some bloom earlier or later than Christmas.
Links
- Back to genus Schlumbergera
- Succulentopedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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