- origin
- growth
- blossom
- heyday
- fruit
- leaves
- use
- Is Easter cactus poisonous?
- Which location is suitable?
- What soil does the plant need?
- sowing
- cuttings
- In the greenhouse
- Water the Easter cactus
- Properly cut Easter cactus
- Fertilize Easter cactus properly
- repot
- hibernate
- pests
- fungus
- Easter cactus not blooming
- sorts
Just in time for Easter, the nurseries are filled with Easter cacti in different colors and shapes. Anyone who chooses this cactus plant should be familiar with the special requirements. Optimal care ensures that the plant blooms again for the next Easter.
The Easter cactus and the Schlumbergera look confusingly similar
Table of Contents
Show all- origin
- growth
- blossom
- heyday
- fruit
- leaves
- use
- Is Easter cactus poisonous?
- Which location is suitable?
- What soil does the plant need?
- sowing
- cuttings
- In the greenhouse
- Water the Easter cactus
- Properly cut Easter cactus
- Fertilize Easter cactus properly
- repot
- hibernate
- pests
- fungus
- Easter cactus not blooming
- sorts
- Thorns protect against predators
- leafless shoots evaporate less water
- sleeping buds
- two to three parts of soil
- a part of sand
- a part of clay granules
- Hatiora salicornioides: Sparsely branched shrub with rounded shoot segments, woody. flowers yellow. Up to 100 centimeters high.
- Hatiora epiphylloides: Epiphytic species with sulphur-yellow flowers. Shoot segments short, up to three centimeters.
- Hatiora herminiae: Forked, branched growth form. Flowers pink to magenta. Growth height up to 30 centimeters.
origin
The Easter cactus originated from a breeding between two species of the genus Hatiora. Hatiora gaertneri and Hatiora rosea were used as parent plants for this popular ornamental plant, which was called Hatiora x graeseri in Latin.
Both species are originally from Brazil, where they can be found in Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. The cacti thrive at altitudes between 350 and 2,000 meters. They characterize the vegetation of the cloud forest. Hatiora gaertneri is often cultivated as a single species and is also offered as an Easter cactus by many specialist dealers.
growth
Easter cacti develop several upright to hanging main shoots that branch out profusely. This growth creates a shrub-like shape. The shoots are composed of numerous limbs that appear flat compressed or triangular to hexagonal in cross section. Fresh stem segments are initially red in color. They turn dark green with age. The shoot segments grow between two and seven centimeters long. Its edge is notched.
blossom
Hatiora x graeseri develops broad, funnel- or bell-shaped single flowers that are between three and five centimeters long. Their petals are fused into a short tube in the lower part and spread out in a star shape at the top. The flowers arise at the tips of the individual shoot segments and sit individually or in small groups.
The flowers open during the day to attract insects with their bright colors. The color palette ranges from red to pink to orange, yellow and white. The red tones are pronounced in all imaginable nuances, from dark to light. The breeds focus on color and abundance of flowers. There are varieties with strikingly large flowers or lush flowers.
heyday
The cacti orient their flower development to environmental influences. In order for the plants to be stimulated to flower, a resting phase is necessary. While rainy and dry seasons influence the growing season in natural habitats, you can use the seasons as a guide when cultivating at home.
In the winter months, fertilizer and irrigation units are stopped so that the plant's metabolism slows down. Next spring, the plants will be encouraged to grow and bloom by watering them more often and adding nutrients.
After the dormant period, the plants orientate themselves to the available daylight before flowering. The short-day plants form flower buds if the amount of light does not exceed ten hours per day. Plants offered in stores are cared for accordingly so that they bloom on time for Easter.
fruit
After the flowers have withered, Easter cacti form yellowish or red fruits. They appear oblong or spherical and may be flattened. The bare pericarp encloses several black to brownish seeds.
leaves
From an evolutionary point of view, the Easter cactus is special because it does not develop any typical leaves. Its foliage has receded and is no longer visible. The plants have continuously minimized the leaf size to reduce the evaporation surface. This adaptation was necessary for the cacti to enjoy a growth advantage in their habitats. They lose less water during dry periods.
Easter cacti form so-called areoles. They are transformed and severely compressed short shoots that appear as felt-like cushions. These structures arise in the leaf axils instead of the leaves. They sit along the edges of the segment and at the tip of the shoot and are covered with fine yellowish-brown bristles. At the tip of older drive members, new segments or flowers develop from the areoles because they have tissue capable of dividing.
Function of the areoles:
use
Easter cacti are cultivated as houseplants. They decorate standing tubs or hanging pots in living rooms. In the bedroom, the cacti not only take on visual functions. Its air-purifying properties have a positive effect on the indoor climate. The characteristic shape is an eye-catcher in every room. The exotic plant feels at home in the bathroom, where the humidity is high.
The plant thrives in greenhouses and conservatories. During the summer months, the Easter cactus likes to spend its time outdoors in a sheltered and sunny location. In this way, the plant decorates balconies, terraces and house entrances.
Is Easter cactus poisonous?
The plants of the genus Hatiora including the Easter cactus are not poisonous. Therefore, the plant is particularly suitable for the children's room or households in which pets live. There is no risk of poisoning for birds, dogs, cats or rabbits. Be aware that budgerigars or cockatiels can quickly destroy Easter cactus flowers if they inspect the plants out of curiosity.
Continue reading
Which location is suitable?
Hatiora hybrids prefer a partially shaded location with bright conditions between May and October. The plants like a place where the sun shines in the morning and in the evening. The cactus plant tolerates blazing sun, as long as the pot is not directly behind the window pane. If your Easter cactus grows on the south window, there should be at least 50 centimeters between the pane and the plant. In the sun, the shoots turn reddish.
The Easter cactus can be placed outside from spring to autumn. Place the plant in a sheltered spot in partial shade. As soon as the temperatures drop below ten degrees Celsius at night, you should bring the cactus in.
Continue reading
What soil does the plant need?
The plants need a well-drained substrate with a pH below seven. You can put together a mixture yourself and in this way produce a coarse-fibrous soil. Commercial flower or cactus soil is suitable as a basis. Alternatively, you can use peat-free tomato soil. Sand, perlite, clay granules or diatomaceous earth are used for higher permeability.
The perfect mix:
sowing
When your Easter cactus blooms, you can use a brush to pollinate the flowers. Strip the stamens with a fine brush and spread the pollen on a stigma. Self-pollination within a flower is possible. Ideally, the genome of the seeds comes from two different plants. It can take up to six months before the fruit is ripe and ready to be harvested.
Remove the seeds from the fruit and let them air dry for a few days. Scatter the seeds on moist growing substrate and cover the planter with a transparent film. This ensures a constant temperature and high humidity. Place the jar in a bright place where the temperature is between 22 and 26 degrees Celsius. After three weeks the seeds will germinate. If the young plants are two to three centimeters high, they should be slowly acclimated to room temperature.
cuttings
Cuttings allow for a successful and easy propagation of Easter cacti. Cut shoots from a mature specimen. The cutting should be between ten and six inches long and have three to four limbs. Be careful not to crush the traces in the segments. Get a clean cut with a sharp knife.
Allow the interface to air dry for three to four days before sticking the cuttings in growing media. Use a sandy-humus-rich substrate consisting of two parts potting soil and one part sand. Keep the substrate evenly moist. Place the cuttings in a bright spot with no direct sun. At temperatures between 22 and 25 degrees Celsius, it takes four to five weeks for the first roots to emerge.
Alternatively, you can place the cuttings in a water-filled glass jar with a water level of between three and four centimetres. To prevent rot, the water should be changed regularly.
In the greenhouse
A heatable greenhouse provides optimal conditions for the Easter cactus. You can adjust the temperature at any time according to the needs of the plant. A high level of humidity is guaranteed in the greenhouse, so that the watering units are reduced. A space-saving cold frame is an alternative. Milk panes ensure diffuse lighting conditions and protect against the sun. However, the box should not be placed in direct sunlight.
Water the Easter cactus
Outside of the resting phase, the Easter cactus needs an evenly moist substrate. The sensitive roots do not tolerate waterlogging. Make sure that no excess water remains in the saucer after the pouring units. The upper layer of soil is allowed to dry between waterings.
How often you have to water the Easter cactus depends on the temperature, the age of the plant and the size of the bucket. In midsummer you should check the substrate more frequently so that the root ball does not dry out completely. Mature specimens have a higher water requirement than young plants. In smaller pots, the moisture is used up more quickly than in large tubs.
Properly cut Easter cactus
Regular pruning is not necessary to maintain the vitality of the plant. You can prune the Easter cactus if its shoots grow too long. Pruning should be done after flowering. Otherwise there is a risk that the plant will drop flowers and buds. Use a clean and sharp knife to avoid damaging the links. Cut shoots can be used for rejuvenation.
Continue reading
Fertilize Easter cactus properly
If you let your Easter cactus dormant during the winter months, start fertilizing from April. Give the plant some liquid fertilizer over the irrigation water every month. If you bought the cactus or just repotted it, it does not need fertilizing in the same year.
repot
The Easter cactus can be planted in a larger vessel every two to three years. If you don't want the ornamental plant to get bigger, you can do without a larger bucket and just change the substrate. Make sure the pot has a drainage hole. Shards of pottery or stones are spread on the bottom of the pot as drainage. Since the shoot segments break off easily, you should hold the plant at the base.
Continue reading
hibernate
The Easter cactus spends its hibernation from November in a bright place where the temperature is around ten degrees Celsius. Slightly higher temperatures are not a problem for him. During this time, limit watering. The nutrient supply is stopped. The hibernation ends with the formation of buds. At this point, the Easter cactus is slowly getting used to higher temperatures.
pests
The most common pests on Easter cacti include scale insects, spider mites and mealybugs. They prefer to multiply on plants that are above the heating during the winter months. A change of location is the first measure. Remove the pests with a sharp jet of water or by gently wiping with a cloth. The shoots can be sprayed with oil-based agents so that lice and mites are killed by the fine film of oil.
fungus
If the roots rot in substrate that is too wet, fungi can spread. The spores colonize rotten plant parts and promote further rotting processes. This causes an imbalance in the plant's nutrient and water balance, causing flowers and buds to fall off or shoots to wither. They shrink and turn yellowish.
As a precaution, you should make sure that the substrate does not get too wet. Root rot is common during hibernation. As soon as signs of damage appear, you should check the plant for root damage and place it in dry substrate.
Easter cactus not blooming
After you have bought a flowering Easter cactus in the spring, care is important to maintain the special flowering season. You can influence flower development yourself by controlling the amount of light about two to three months before the desired flowering time. Make sure that the plant does not get more than ten hours of light per day during this period. Put a cardboard over the growth when the number of hours has been reached. The next morning the carton is removed for the next ten hours.
If you want the cactus to bloom in time for Easter, the months between late autumn and the end of winter are recommended as a rest period. The break should last six to eight weeks. Nursing measures are reduced during this time. The Easter cactus spends time in a cool and bright place with a temperature of ten degrees Celsius.
As soon as the first buds appear, the location must not be changed, otherwise the Easter cactus will drop its flowers. During the opening of the flowers, the temperature should not rise above 23 degrees Celsius. Immediately after flowering, the ornamental plant gets a second dormant period.
Continue reading
tips
Each plant prefers a different direction. Decorate east- or west-facing window sills with the Easter cactus. Spurge plants are suitable for south-facing windows and the African dragon tree feels particularly at home on north-facing windows.