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Thanksgiving cactus

Holiday Plants: Care and Maintenance of Amaryllis, Christmas Cactus, and Poinsettias

January 7, 2019

What do you do with your holiday plants now that holiday festivities have ended and the decorations are put away—toss them, or give them new life as house plants? It is possible—with varying degrees of difficulty—to maintain Amaryllis, Christmas cactus, and Poinsettias for years of enjoyment.

 Amaryllis

The Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) is a bulb from tropical South America. Your Amaryllis were forced to bloom indoors during the holidays, and although it is easy to keep them for years, their rebloom time is likely to be after the holidays, unless you provide a sufficient cooling period.

Amaryllis

Flower care:

  • While in bloom, keep the plant in a well-lighted area, out of direct sunlight.
  • Turn the plant ¼ turn every few days to maintain upright flower stalks.
  • Fertilize weekly with a liquid fertilizer, such as 10-10-10.

Maintenance:

  • After the flowers fade, cut off the flower stalk 1 to 2 inches above the bulb nose, taking care not to damage the bulb or foliage. Those leaves manufacture the food to replenish reserves expended during the bloom cycle!
  • Place the plant in a sunny window—ideally a Southern exposure.
  • Water only when the soil surface is nearly dry.
  • Avoid watering the bulb nose, which can cause disease or rot.
  • In Western North Carolina you can place the plants outdoors after the danger of frost has passed (usually around Mother’s Day).
  • Place the entire pot in an area with part to full sun.
  • Fertilize the bulb 2-3 times per month with a complete fertilizer such as 10-10-10.
  • Provide supplemental water as needed during the summer to prevent the bulb from getting excessively dry.
  • In fall, bring plant in before first frost!

Reflowering:

  • At least 3 months before you want your bulb to bloom, withhold water and place it in a cool storage or growing location for 8 to10 weeks at 55ºF. It is not necessary for the plant to go dormant.
  • After this cool period, move the plant to a warm, 70 to 75º area with bright light.
  • Keep it moist, but not wet, and the new flower stalk and leaves should emerge in a few weeks!

 Holiday Cactus

Holiday cacti (Schumbergera spp.) can live over 100 years and are native to Brazilian rain forests. There are actually two species sold as holiday cactus: Thanksgiving cactus (S. truncata), and Christmas cactus (S. x buckleyi)—many plants sold as Christmas cactus are actually Thanksgiving cactus! To identify: Thanksgiving cactus’ flattened stem segments—phylloclades—have 2- to 4- saw-toothed serrations; these projections are more rounded on Christmas cactus.

Thanksgiving Cactus

Maintenance:

  • Place plant in a cool, bright window.
  • Fertilize with a liquid low nitrogen fertilizer from fall to September (such as 0-15-10) and a balanced fertilizer (such as 20-20-20) from June through August for best flower production.
  • Holiday cactus bloom well when pot bound. Repot only every three years in spring.
  • Use a potting mix with good drainage, such as 20 to 40% Perlite.
  • Water when soil is dry to the touch. Drain plant saucers to avoid bud drop and root rot! Plants tolerate drier conditions in spring and summer.

Reflowering:

  • Keep temperatures as close to 68° F as possible for maximum flower production. Plants grown with night temperatures between 50 and 59º F will set flower buds regardless of day length, but at 50º F growth will be slower and bud drop may occur.
  • Bud set is best initiated in the middle of September when there are fourteen or more hours of continuous darkness. At this time, pinch back any terminal stem segments less than 1 cm (0.4 inch) long to make all stems about the same length.
  • Provide even moisture.
  • Prune after blooming by shortening long stems, preferably to where two leaves emerge from a single leaf—if this seems too drastic because you have not pruned before, remove half the length of long stems.
  • Prior to Pruning

    After pruning

Poinsettias

Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) are native to Mexico. Their colorful bracts are actually modified leaves—the small yellow cyathia in the center of the bracts are the true flowers!

Poinsettia

Maintenance:

  • Place plant in bright light.
  • Provide even moisture. To avoid leaf drop, don’t let the soil dry out. Remove decorative foils or wraps to promote better drainage.
  • Moderate temperature—daytime temperatures from 70 to 75° F and nighttime temps from 60 to 65—are ideal. Avoid placing on cold windowsills, in drafty areas, or near heat vents! Temperatures below 55 or above 75° F or can damage plants.

Once the bracts start to fade, you may want to toss your poinsettia and buy a new one next year. You can go halfway and move your poinsettia out into a sunny spot in your landscape and treat like you would an annual. It won’t develop the colored bracts, but you will have enjoyed it until next fall!

If you are motivated, you can enjoy your poinsettia next holiday season. Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension Professor, University of Vermont, has a clever way to remember when to provide extra attention to your poinsettia that ties the care schedule to holidays throughout the year. See: https://pss.uvm.edu/ppp/articles/poinsett.htm

Article by Barbara Hayes, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer.

Read more:

Amaryllis

NC CES Horticulture Information Leaflet:

Home Forcing of Potted Amaryllis (Hippeastrum)

https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/home-forcing-of-potted-amaryllis-hippeastrum

Christmas cactus (Holiday cacti)

Clemson University HGIC Factsheet 1554 11/29/18

https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/thanksgiving-christmas-cacti/

Holiday cacti

University of Minnesota Extension

https://extension.umn.edu/house-plants/holiday-cacti

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Categories Seasonal Chores Tags amaryllis, Christmas cactus, Euphorbia, Hippeastrum, poinsettia, Schumbergera, Thanksgiving cactus

Your Christmas Cactus May Not Be a Christmas Cactus

December 10, 2014

ChristmasCactus2Did you know that there are actually three different cactuses that most folks think are Christmas cactus (…and by the way, they aren’t cactuses; they are Epiphytes). The beautiful winter blooming plant is a non-parasitic native of the rain forests of Brazil and grows in the tree branches and in rock crevices on the ground, using nutrients from air and rain.

There are three botanical names… Schlumbergera truncata, commonly known as Thanksgiving cactus, Schlumbergera bridgesii, commonly known as Christmas cactus, and Rhipsalidopsis gaetneri, commonly known as Easter cactus. The three are known for the month (or holiday) during which they bloom, natively established by their natural elevation in the rain forest.

Most of the cactuses we see for the Christmas season are actually Thanksgiving cactuses, forced to bloom for our Christmas season. You ask…How do you know which is which?  The Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) has flat leaves with rounded smooth teeth and anthers that are purplish-brown.

Schlumbergera bridgesii
Christmas Cactus….Schlumbergera bridgesii

The Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) has flat leaves with pointed teeth & hairs, and anthers that are yellow.

Thanksgiving cactus…Schlumbergera truncata

The Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaetneri) has bristles on the leaf segments; the blooms are star shaped.

Easter Cactus….Rhipsalidopsis gaetneri

Many folks have trouble getting the beauties to re-bloom year after year. Quite simply, it seems that neglect works for me. In the spring, I take the root bound pot outside to a shady area for the duration of the summer. Rain is the only water it gets (well, maybe a drink during the dry time). The experts say to fertilize through the summer months with a soluble solution of 20/20/20, but I don’t think I’ve ever fertilized mine. Before frost, bring the cactus inside. The key to bloom is shortened daylight hours with cool 50-55 degree temperature nights of total darkness. (above 65-68 degree nights and it will not bloom). Controlling these conditions will determine when the plant blooms. Letting the fall weather dictate the timing, my cactus bloomed early in November this year. If the humidity in the home is rather low, there can be a problem with bud drop. Broken leaves and stems will root easily in moist (not soggy) potting soil… add about 20% perlite to the mix to get good drainage. Over watering, especially with the Easter cactus, can be their death wish.

Article written by Patsy McNatt, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer.

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Categories Houseplants Tags Christmas cactus, Easter cactus, epiphyte, Rhipsalidopsis gaetneri, Schlumberger truncata, Schlumbergera bridgesii, Thanksgiving cactus

It Takes Planning to Get a Christmas Cactus to Bloom

November 29, 2013

Having trouble getting your Christmas cactus to bloom on schedule? 

photo courtesy of Jackson and Perkins
photo courtesy of Jackson and Perkins

Looking at a plant’s origins often gives valuable clues on its cultural needs. Christmas cactus, Zygocactus truncatus, is a native of the mountains of Brazil where it lives in semi shade as an understory plant in the rain forest.  It wants some sun and appreciates the cool nights that come from its mountain habitat, with well-drained soil that dries out just a bit between rainfalls.

For best results as a houseplant, give this cactus the same treatment as it would get in nature.  That means you can put it outdoors in dappled shade during the warm months, or grow it indoors it in similar bright conditions. It will not be happy if it is too wet, too dry, or too dark. But it will burn in too much afternoon sun.

To induce blooming, both cool nights and day length can be important. Simply leaving the plant outdoors until night temperatures get below 50 degrees usually works well. The length of darkness is not as important as the temperature. But if you cannot provide the cool night temperatures, the long night environment will also induce flowering. So, like the poinsettia, put it in a room where no one turns on a light at night until the buds start to form.

Like most flowering plants, these cacti will hold their blooms longer in a cooler environment. When in bloom keep them out of direct sunlight and away from drafts of warm or very cold air.

If your cactus gets too large, you can also prune them back by breaking off sections. You can fertilize after bloom to increase branching and future flowers. Cuttings a few segments long can be rooted easily in moist potting soil.

By the way, Easter and Thanksgiving cacti, which are in the genus Schlumbergera, are slightly different and many of the colorful Christmas cactus available in the trade today may actually be hybrids of the two genera.

Article written by Glenn Palmer, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer.

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Categories Houseplants Tags Christmas cactus, Easter cactus, Thanksgiving cactus

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