tikipod, The flowers are pink, the picture doesn't do the color justice, they are the most purest pink I've ever seen.
christmas cactus
S. truncata hybrids 99% of the market bloom at Thanksgiving +/- a couple of weeks. The true Christmas cactus is more true to blooming near Christmas, but is not commonly on market. It was overtaken by truncata many years ago, due to more reliable hybridization and cloning, and upright flowers. The real Chrismas cactus is kept by collectors and is S x buckleyi. A slightly different plant with pendant flowers and variable color, since it does not hybridize true. I own one, and have spread some cuttings, and will spread more, keeping a nice plant for my self.
For more discussion: http://cactus.biology.dal.ca/paulS/christmas/christmas.html
So I just noticed that my S. 'Wintermarchen' is budding finally! Yea!
My 2 Thor Kiris going gangbusters this year!
Schlumbergera Nicole
One of my "old gals"
I have about 45 blooming schlums right now. My house is a riot of color!
Very pretty.
S. 'Wintermarchen' got knocked over by my son yesterday. The pot was shattered, plant disheveled, but not much broken, I just need a studier plant holder for it.
I will repot it today, but I am not expecting any blooms. Its my oldest plant that I have grown continuously. We go back maybe 20 years.
Rob
I don't think mine will produce anymore blooms. I caught my little Delilah (cat) rubbing her face on the plant and knocking off the buds.
Bummer #2.
That's another reason why I have moved my epi's, rhips and schlums to hanging pots.
That's actually my goal but unfortunately I need a few more hooks or the 2-tier hangers I want. Delilah already damaged some cuttings I received from bespoke :(
I use "S" hooks and small chain to make multiple tier hangers. A wire hanger is used to hang the first (sturdy) pot, then chain can be hooked over the ends of the hanger where they go through the pot. Additional pots of similar size thread an "S" hook through a hole in the top of the pot (3 are needed minimally) and the other end of the "S" through the chain. Thins can look nice if done right. Another alternative is to hang smaller pots (with wire pot hangers) on the rim of other hanging pots. You could, for instance, hang 3 pots from a top pot using their wire hangers, then establish of vertical sequence of hanging pots from each of the 3 pots. Lots of options with this approach and you can customize it as well. You have to watch the weight of the pots and the strength of the upper ones, of course. Since I am doing smaller pots, weigth has nto been much of a problem, but it could. You also have to watch out for biodegradable and UV sensitive pots, which eventually give out on you, requiring repotting.
Good Afternoon!
I would like to find a true red Christmas cactus.......my aunt had one years ago that we unfortunately lost the start of....it was a true, Christmas, fire engine red.......not at all like the orangey red and fuschia red ones that I find in the stores......does anyone know the cultivar name of a truly red one? (and a good place to order from?).....I know it's a little late to get one for Christmas this year, but when the weather warms up, I would like to order one for next year!!!!!
Thanks.
TB
I think you may be looking for S. 'Red Marie' or 'Dark Red Marie'. That would be more of a Thanksgiving cactus, if you want a real Christmas Cactus you should look for S x Bucklyi and Red Flowered. I have one but its pink flowered.
Here is S. 'Dark Marie' in bloom on Hydroton, it was rotting off near the soil line so I repotted it onto Hydroton, no more rot, and blooms!
It looks like I never posted that my S 'Wintermarchen' survived the knockover, and repot to a nice bloom!
This year I have been amazed at how late my Thanksgiving and Christmas Cacti have come into bloom. Most have bloomed in January and some still are in bud. I'm wondering if the humidity in the Greenhouse is just too high. It runs around 73% all winter long. My GH has gravel floors and I think this allows for higher humidity. The Epies seem to love it but my Schlumbergera maybe not so much. I'm working on this.
I have also noted that some of my Holiday Cacti have gotten round rotting spots on some stems. First you see a brown spot which develops into an eroded area on the leaf. Any suggestions on what this is and how to treat it?. bob
