CHRISTMAS CACTUS

(hybrid Schlumbergera buckleyi), popular epiphytic cactus, with flattened stems, grown for its colourful cerise flowers that bloom indoors about Christmastime in the Northern Hemisphere. Most Christmas cacti now in cultivation are considered to be hybrids of the crab cactus (S. truncata) and S. russelliana. Like other Schlumbergera species, it is native to Brazil, growing in the rain forest perched on trees or shrubs or sometimes in shady places among rocks. The alternative genus name, Zygocactus, is frequently encountered. Christmas cactus is often confused with the crab cactus, or Thanksgiving cactus (S. truncata, or Epiphyllum truncatum); however, in the former, the margins of the stem joints are rounded or crenated, whereas in the latter the margins are sharply saw-toothed. Thanksgiving cacti begin blooming in autumn and usually continue into midwinter. The long blooming period and the number of hybrids offering a wide range of flower colours have made the Thanksgiving cacti the more popular in the florist trade. Flower buds are initiated during the late summer and early fall as the hours of daylight decrease; cooler temperatures and reduced moisture during this time are important for maximum bloom. The Easter cactus (q.v.), formerly classified as S. gaertneri, is now referred to as Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri.