The Christmas cactus is a popular holiday houseplant known for its colored blooms and cascading stems . But there are actually different varieties of vacation cacti that attend similar . So how do you know if you in truth have a Christmas cactus ?
This clause will teach you how to discover a true Christmas cactus by count at pictures of its distinct features . We ’ll also provide growing tips to get the most bloom on your Christmas cactus this vacation season .
What Does a Christmas Cactus Look Like?
There are a few key lineament that position apart a Christmas cactus from other holiday cacti variety
Stems – Christmas cactus stems produce in rounded , drop segments rather than in Angle . The stems also form cascading branches that hang down
leave – The leaf are bland , oval - mold and have scallop jaggy border . They rise directly from the stem in two symmetrical row on either side .
Flowers – Around the holiday , trumpet - shaped flowers rosiness at the ends of the stems . flush colors let in red , pinkish , bloodless , white-livered , orange , and even purple !
True peak – True Christmas cactus peak have stamen ( the pollen - producing part ) that protrude prominently from the centre of each flower segment .
Now let ’s take a close facial expression at pictures of each of these defining lineament of the Christmas cactus .
Pictures of Distinctive Christmas Cactus Features
Stems
The stems are made up of flatten , ellipse segments that connect to form cascade down branches :
! [ Christmas cactus with segmented , drop stem ] [ ]
figure reference : Pinterest
Leaves
The leave of absence are smooth ( no spines ) , ellipse - shaped with slightly scalloped edges : ! [ Christmas cactus folio detail ] [ ]
Image source : iStockPhoto
Flowers
Trumpet - shaped flowers bloom in color like pinkish , red , blank , purple , orange , and yellow:![Assorted color of Christmas cactus flowers ] [ ]
picture reservoir : Getty range
True Flowers
stamen visibly protrude from the gist of each flower segment:![Christmas cactus stamens ] [ ]
Now that you love what features to look for , permit ’s compare the Christmas cactus to two other common vacation cacti .
How to Tell Apart 3 Holiday Cacti
There are 3 primary varieties of holiday cacti :
Christmas cactus – Schlumbergera bridgesii
Thanksgiving cactus – Schlumbergera truncata
Easter cactus – Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri
While similar , there are subtle differences between each . Here ’s a equivalence :
Looking at pictures side - by - side fix it easier to distinguish between the three cacti:![Comparing features of 3 holiday cacti ] [ ]
range root : Flickr
Growing Tips for Christmas Cactus
To get the most colorful vacation flush from your Christmas cactus , follow these care lead :
With the right produce conditions , your Christmas cactus should reward you with gorgeous flower class after class during the vacation time of year .
Common Questions about Christmas Cactus Identification
Here are answers to some oft asked questions about telling apart Christmas cactus from other holiday cacti :
How can you tell a Christmas cactus from a Thanksgiving cactus?
Christmas cacti have smoother , scalloped oval leaves , more strongly cascading stems , and flowers with prominent stamen . blessing cacti have more jagged sawtooth leaf , stiffer stem turn , and flowers with low stamens .
What is the difference between a Christmas cactus and an Easter cactus?
Christmas cactus leaf grow symmetrically on either side of the theme . Easter cactus leaves grow in a more random , asymmetrical fashion . Easter cactus also blooms much later in the spring .
Can you identify a Christmas cactus when it is not blooming?
Yes , look for the flatten out ellipse stem segment , smooth proportionate folio with scalloped edges , and cascading limb . This can help distinguish it from other vacation cacti when blossom are not present .
How often does a Christmas cactus bloom?
give right care and conditions , Christmas cactus will generally flower annually , producing flowers sometime between later November and January . After bloom the flora takes time to set buds for the next anthesis .
How long do Christmas cactus flowers last?
Individual Christmas cactus flowers last about 1 - 2 weeks before wilt . However , peak open sequentially over a period of several weeks , so you’re able to enjoy blooms for 4 - 6 weeks typically .
Enjoy the Festive Beauty of the Christmas Cactus
The Christmas cactus pull in a perfect holiday gift or seasonal video display with its graceful cascading branches and colorful flowers . Now that you bed what feature of speech positively identify it , you could give your Christmas cactus the maintenance it needs to flourish and brilliantly prime each holiday season .
