The Christmas cactus bears its name for a reason, after all, the winter bloomer always shows its magnificent flowers around Christmas. The exotic houseplant belongs - even if it is hard to believe at first glance - to the cacti, but in contrast to its desert-dwelling cousins, it has no thorns and otherwise a rather cactus-untypical appearance. Schlumbergera, as it is called scientifically, needs special care so that you can enjoy the red, yellow, white or orange flowers for a long time.

The Christmas cactus blooms at Christmas time

Table of Contents

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  1. origin
  2. use
  3. growth and size
  4. Flower, colors and flowering time
  5. leaves
  6. fruit
  7. Is Christmas cactus poisonous?
  8. Which location is suitable?
  9. substrate
  10. Water the Christmas cactus
  11. Fertilize Christmas cactus properly
  12. Properly cut the Christmas cactus
  13. Propagating Christmas cactus
  14. repot
  15. hibernate
  16. Diseases
  17. pests
  18. sorts

    19. origin

    Basically, "Christmas cactus" is not a species name, but a collective term for several species of leaf cacti from the genus Schlumbergera. These are native to the coastal forests of Brazil, where they grow as epiphytes (botanical epiphytes) on tall jungle trees. The specimens bred for indoor culture are exclusively hybrids, whereas the wild forms play no role as indoor plants and are already highly endangered in their natural habitats. The scientific name of the Christmas cactus, Schlumbergera, goes back to French cactus collector and grower Frédéric Schlumberger.
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    use

    Since Christmas cacti come from subtropical and tropical regions, they are not hardy in this country and are therefore only used as indoor plants. As the flower typically appears around the Christmas period, Schlumbergera has become part of the Christmas decorations in many homes and is therefore available in many stores just before the holiday season. The drooping shoots of this type of cactus are particularly effective in hanging baskets or tall containers, where the colorful, lush flowers can easily grow over the edge.

    growth and size

    Unlike many other cactus species, the Christmas cactus features a shrubby growth with long, flat, and fleshy shoots. These hang down due to their length and weight, which is why the plant is best cultivated in tall pots or hanging baskets. In addition, the Christmas cactus does not have the classic spines that are otherwise characteristic of cactus plants, but rather fine bristles on the leaf edges. With the right care, the popular leaf cactus can live for many decades and reach a height of up to 40 centimetres. Very old specimens measure a meter or more in diameter, and the plants also lignify from below over the years.

    Flower, colors and flowering time

    The Christmas cactus is so popular mainly because of its eye-catching flowers. These are always at the tips of the shoots, have an elongated shape and are pushed into one another like scales. The petals themselves are slightly bent backwards so that the yellow stamens are clearly visible. The pretty inflorescences, which are available in various shades of red, pink, yellow and white, can grow up to ten centimetres. Between November and January, Schlumbergera develops a large number of these flowers, whereby the individual specimens last a maximum of five to seven days and are therefore not particularly long-lived. Due to the sheer mass - with good care - the short flowering time is hardly noticeable.

    leaves

    Typical of the Christmas cactus are its long, flat and strong green shoots, which consist of several, mostly oval to oblong, egg-shaped and incised leaf segments. At its edge are tiny, bristle-bearing areoles. The individual shoots can grow up to a meter long.

    fruit

    A successful fertilization of the flowers never occurs in indoor culture, which is partly due to the lack of insects during the winter season and the fact that the hybrids are mostly sterile. That is why Christmas cacti usually do not produce any fruit. If they do it anyway, inconspicuous berries will develop. These contain the tiny seed, which is only one millimeter in size.

    Is Christmas cactus poisonous?

    Schlumbergera is considered to be slightly poisonous, but does not pose a danger, at least for adults. Nevertheless, you should not eat any parts of the plant, as this can lead to unpleasant, slight symptoms of poisoning. If possible, do not touch escaping plant sap with your bare fingers, as it can cause skin irritation in sensitive people. Keep the Christmas cactus out of the reach of children and seek immediate medical attention if your child has eaten any part of the plant.

    For cats, on the other hand, the Christmas cactus poses a much greater danger, which is why you should always place the plant in a cat household out of the reach of the animals. As is well known, the curious fur friends like to nibble on indoor plants and often no longer have a natural sense of what is poisonous and what is not. If your hungry cat has tasted the Christmas cactus and shows typical symptoms of poisoning such as diarrhea and vomiting, you should consult a veterinarian immediately.
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    Which location is suitable?

    As a typical rainforest dweller, the Christmas cactus does not like direct sun, but should still be bright. If possible, do not place the plant directly on a south-facing window, but rather out of the sun. East- or west-facing windows are ideal, but Schlumbergera should not stand directly above a heater or be exposed to constant draughts. If the sun is strong at midday, it makes sense to shade the plant, especially in the summer months.

    In summer, however, the Christmas cactus also feels at home in a semi-shady place outdoors, such as on the balcony or terrace. Between August and September, however, you should keep it as dark as possible, water little and fertilize: As a short-day plant, Schlumbergera only forms buds when the days are getting shorter, it is dark at night for at least 12 hours and the average daytime temperature drops below 23 degrees.

    Also make sure not to change the location or only very rarely and not to turn the plant after the buds have appeared. The Christmas cactus often reacts very sensitively to changes in location and likes to throw off buds and flowers as a result of such a measure.
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    substrate

    Schlumbergera feels most comfortable in loose cactus soil, which you can mix with expanded clay (€19.73) or perlite (€37.51) due to the better permeability. Make sure, however, that the potting soil is free of peat. The material is often added to many commercially available potting soils, but is not tolerated by cacti such as the Christmas cactus. Good pot drainage is also important so that excess water can drain off and waterlogging does not form in the first place.

    It is best to place the Christmas cactus in a new planter with fresh soil immediately after purchase, as experience has shown that the pots from the nurseries are much too small.

    Water the Christmas cactus

    As a rainforest dweller, the Christmas cactus needs a fairly high level of humidity, which is why it should not be cared for above a heater if possible. Spray the plant regularly with low-lime water to create more comfortable conditions. In this country, many apartments for tropical dwellers are basically too dry in winter. Another peculiarity of Schlumbergera is its sensitivity to hard water, which can kill the plant. If possible, use rainwater, boiled (and cooled!) or very well stale tap water to water the plants.

    The irrigation water should also have room temperature and not come out of the tap fresh and cold. You can determine the right time for watering with a finger test: The upper substrate layer should always dry completely between the individual waterings. After watering, however, the root ball should be completely soaked, whereby excess water that has run into the planter must always be removed.

    Wilted leaves usually indicate that the substrate is too moist, but can also be an indication of a lack of water. This often occurs due to the use of potting soil containing peat, since peat dries out quickly and in this state can no longer absorb water and of course can no longer transfer it to the roots.
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    Fertilize Christmas cactus properly

    Fertilize the Christmas cactus only during the budding and flowering periods, i.e. between the months of October and January / February. Give the plant cactus fertilizer about every two to three weeks, which contains the required nutrients in the optimal concentration.
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    Properly cut the Christmas cactus

    If possible, the Christmas cactus should not be cut, as this can negatively affect growth and flowering. In any case, this measure is not necessary unless you want to take cuttings for propagation or reduce a plant that has become too large. In this case, simply carefully twist off the leaf links.

    You should also carefully pluck off faded flowers, as this often allows Schlumbergera to be persuaded to continue flowering. The plant usually takes a break of up to six weeks between several flowering cycles, during which time it is watered and fertilized less frequently and placed in a darker and cooler place (but not less than 16 °C!).
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    Propagating Christmas cactus

    Propagating a Schlumbergera is very easy: simply twist off a few healthy, strong, non-flowering leaf segments, allow them to dry out a bit and then stick them in peat-free cactus soil, perlite or sand. Spray the cuttings lightly, as high humidity is counterproductive for rooting cacti. The Christmas cactus is no exception.

    For the same reason, you should never attempt to root the leaf limbs in water. What works with many plants without any problems, in this case only leads to mold and rot.

    Incidentally, the best time for propagation is right after flowering, around February / March. During this time, the Christmas cactus starts its growth phase and is naturally trimmed to the production of growth substances anyway. However, it can take a few weeks for the small cuttings to take root: be patient and place the seed pot in a bright and warm place until then.

    sowing

    In principle, it is also possible to propagate using seeds - either collected yourself or bought in stores - although this procedure takes a lot of time and is not without its pitfalls. First of all, you need seeds for this, which you can win yourself with a bit of luck. For this you need at least two flowering Schlumbergera that are not related to each other - so they must not be mother plants and offshoots or cuttings of the same mother plant. Pollinate the flowers no later than three days after they have opened using a fine brush. With this you transfer the pollen from the flowers of one to those of the other. Fertilization has been successful if the ovary does not dry up afterwards but swells. But now you have to be patient, because it takes up to half a year until the fruits are ready for the seed harvest. You can recognize the perfect degree of ripeness by the fact that the round berries, which are now about one centimeter in size, turn pink.

    Cut open the fruit, take out the shiny black seeds and carefully remove any adhering pulp. Sow the seeds on sand or poor potting soil. Since it is a light germinator, the grains must not be covered with the substrate. It is best to grow the small cacti in a greenhouse, because tense air - i.e. high humidity - is essential for successful germination. Temperatures between 22 and 28 °C are ideal.
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    repot

    Always repot the Christmas cactus when the roots completely fill the previous plant pot. Even if this is not necessary, the plant should be supplied with fresh substrate about every two to three years.
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    hibernate

    The Christmas cactus is not hardy in our latitudes and should therefore only be placed in a sheltered spot outdoors in warm summers, if at all. Nonetheless, the plant needs a dormant period during which the buds are formed for the new flowering period. To do this, cultivate Schlumbergera in September in a shady spot at 12 to 17 °C if possible, water it only moderately and do not fertilize it. At night it should be dark for at least 12 hours, which is why the plant should be placed in a room that is not artificially lit in the evening. Temperatures below ten degrees Celsius are not tolerated. From October, the plant can finally go back to its original location and is watered and fertilized as usual.
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    Diseases

    Diseases caused by fungi or other pathogens are very rare in Schlumbergera. Instead, these cacti tend to shed flower buds when they are unwell. There are many reasons for this: drafts, rapid temperature changes, a dried-up root ball or waterlogging are possible causes. Turning the Christmas cactus often also leads to the buds being dropped, as these then turn towards the light again, are weakened as a result and therefore fall off. So be careful not to change your position in relation to the light source, especially during the time when the buds are forming.
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    pests

    Pests also rarely occur on Schlumbergera. What is more often observed is an infestation of mealybugs and mealybugs, whose small, white "cotton balls" are easy to recognize on the green leaves of the plant. They can be wiped off quite easily, for which you can use simple baby wipes, for example.

    tips

    If Schlumbergera does not flower, it is often due to the lack of a dormant period or a lack of nutrients.

    sorts

    There are six different types of Christmas cacti, with only hybrids in different colors being offered for indoor cultivation. Schlumbergera usually flowers in red, but there are also pink and orange, yellow and white forms.

Category:

Vegetable garden