By Kathleen Harvey, AAP Columnist
Christmas trees, evergreen boughs, poinsettias, and Christmas cactus are the plants of the season, livening our homes with wonderful fragrance and pops of color. Of these, the Christmas cactus can be the longest-lived, providing a greater bounty of flowers with each successive year. Some people have a green thumb getting these cacti to grow and thrive, but all too many of these plants that are either received as gifts or purchased for their cheerful seasonal color, languish and eventually die.
In nature, Schlumbergera flowers range from pale to deep pink and occasionally into red. Through hybridization, holiday cactus colors range from almost pure white through various shades of pink, peach, and deep red; while many are bicolored pink, or red with white. A few cultivars are available that are lovely shades of yellow or gold.
When caring for holiday cactus plants, it’s important to understand the conditions in which the plants grow in nature. Holiday cacti are true cactus. They are found in the mountainous jungles of Brazil, at elevations of 3,000 – 5,000 ft. They get cool temperatures at night but never cold. Minimum temperatures need to be around 55-60°F; they cannot tolerate frost.
Christmas cactus grow as epiphytic plants, with their roots anchoring them to branches high up in forest trees, or sometimes growing in shady areas of cliffs or rocky outcrops. They do not tolerate prolonged periods of strong, direct sunlight, but rather prefer bright indirect light. My Christmas cactus live outdoors in the summer, on a patio table in the backyard out of direct sun. Slugs and snails love holiday cactus; if growing your plants outdoors, keep the pots off the ground. Indoors, they grow well in a bright window.
Another consideration is water. In nature, they are growing in locations with perfect drainage, hanging from tree branches or rocky cliffs. In the rain forest, they receive frequent rains during the wet season, but the water runs off rapidly and the roots do not sit in waterlogged soil. Frequent waterings are fine if the soil mix is very well drained.
Big box stores carry premixed cactus and succulent mix that is adequate for these plants. In addition, gentle air movement is important to keep plants healthy. Constant moisture in a poorly drained soil will promote the development of root-rotting fungi. If the plants are sagging and not growing, even though the soil is moist, check to see if it has a healthy root system. If not, take some cuttings to start a new plant and use a better-draining soil mix. Plants are easily propagated from stem cuttings. Individual “joints” can be used. However, cuttings of two to three joints long will provide stronger plants. Let the cuttings dry in a shady location for two to three days, and then put them in a rooting medium such as perlite, or into a well draining soil mix. Keep the medium moist but not saturated. Rooting should take place in two to three weeks and new growth should start. New plants can be started any time of the year. However, better results will be achieved in late spring through summer. A worthwhile practice is to root a few new cuttings every three to five years and keep a couple of healthy young plants on hand in case the original plant succumbs.
A really old, large Christmas cactus in full bloom is a marvel – hundreds of brightly colored flowers can be open at the same time. It is not unusual to see plants in 12-15” diameter pots, with a canopy spread of nearly three feet. These plants can be decades old and literally passed down from generation to generation, which is a great way to share the joy of plants with family members over multiple generations, providing sentimental value in addition to their seasonal beauty.
Happy holidays!
