HOLIDAY CACTUS GENERAL DISCUSSION - PART #6

Gita,
Tuesday is Election Dat so I am not sure there will be mail service...best to check..Also, Have you heard that JB is okay after hurricane Sandy as she has yet to check in anywhere I know to look.

Ruby,
the two large cactus from me at Sally's swap are Easter Cactus so they probably won't have buds by Christmas.

JB Please let us know how you are doing when you can. Hope all is well.

I think she is just overly busy with her Christmas tree farm and making bows and wreaths and all that.
Frankly--I do not know how she does it all! She is what? about 90 yrs old?

I will have to send her stuff out tomorrow then. Latest on Wednesday--it should get there in a couple of days.....
She said she preferred mailing things out on Mondays or Tuesdays--as that way,
the shipments will not sit somewhere in the cold.

I have not, specifically, heard about anything from her after the storm.
Hope everything is OK.

You know--I really need to hit the sack. been up now 18 hrs. straight....Yawn......

Well DUH......thanks Coleup for setting me straight on the proper holiday for said cactus. I won't worry now. Heck, that will give me plenty of time to put them in better light after the Christmas Cactus have already bloomed and I can trade their spots.

I cannot describe, but I know that you all know what I am saying when trying to describe the pleasure I derive from seeing Holiday Cactus bloom. The appear when all around the summer and most of the fall blooms are done and gone. It is just such a big pick me up when seeing the holiday cactus bloom.

I too hope that JB will check in and let us know how she is making out.

Ruby

I am here. Just had a small set back. Went to my cardiologist on Tues. for my regular check up and was admitted and had a pacemaker put in. Long story and I do not have time now to explain. I am home. a bit restricted with not being able to use my left arm for certain things, so I promise as soon as I catch up with things I will tell you all about it.
Today, with all the storm damage we have had almost a foot of snow. Someone sure pissed off Mother Nature.

Yea JB. So good to hear from you. Sensed something more than your usual busy ness was going on. Wish we all were closer physically to each other in times of need (or when we want to celebrate!). I'll let others on our storm checkin thread know we have heard from you. Our thoughts and prayers for a quick recovery. Bet your new "puppy" missed you lots! Judy

I was only gone overnight but I had someone sleep with him. LOL Hugs. I feel good just tired. You do not get much rest in the hospital and it was so unexpected that I was not prepared. I am just glad to be home. JB

Wishing you a speedy recovery, JB. Now that your "ticker" will be ticking away on a regular beat--
you may just feel a lot better..........eventually.

I SOOOO admire all you do at your age! You are a role model for those who fear getting old.
Keeping busy and active makes you forget that you ARE old. The mind never ages--just the Bod.

Same here! To me--it is all "Mind over matter". If I don't mind--it does not matter! ...:o)
Something "breaks--it gets fixed--and life goes on.

Gita

I, of course, wish you a Speedie recovery as well!! < =D Will be keeping you in my prayers that that recovery keeps speeding right along. I'm really glad to hear that you've made it through all the storm crud ok.. phhewwww!!!!!!!!!!

I too hope the pace maker will be just what the doctor ordered and that things will turn around for you in terms of any complaints you have had of late. I would think that after you rest a bit, you should see a major difference in how you feel all the way around.....mentally, physically and emotionally. Best of luck and please do update.

Ruby

Glad you're doing OK JB.
My MIL had to get one unexpectedly a few years ago. But she had a scary emergency episode that led to it so I am glad you were spared scare on top of surprise. She has gone on totally unfazed by it, just routine checks. Best of luck to you!

JB--Here is a picture show for you. My CC's are starting to bloom all over.
NOT all the little ones--but the bigger ones are going gung-Ho.

The red one dropped a bunch of stems when i was moving it around.
The problem, in this case is that the very deepest section that was supporting that
particular stem rotted out. Then all the above sections caved in and just fell off.
Guess who is going to get them??????? Look for a bubble envelope soon.

Anyhow--here are some pictures for you:

1--This is the red one I just mentioned. it is not a true, deep red--as you can see
that it has some white near the base of it. I have another pot of red--but it is still in bud.
This one may be a deeper red.
2--Close up of the bloom. Would YOU call this red???
3--The "Old faithful"--my Salmon CC.
4& 5-Salmon--closer up

A few more---Others are not yet worthy of photographing.

1--Here is the old Fuchsia and white. See how limp the stems are compared to the salmon one?
2--Here are some of the salmon "juveniles" blooming.
3--My 3 Brugs in their winter quarters. All "naked"......

Gonna be nasty cold tonight. predicted here--upper 20's to low 30's.
Freezing weather for sure.

Stay warm and safe, dear! Gita

Gita, I too am getting some pretty shows with some of my Christmas or Thanksgiving Cactus. Most of mine are small ones and only a bloom or two on each so far. I will take that though. I love seeing them.

Thank for sharing your pictures...the salmon colored are gorgeous.

Ruby

Here I am again. Like a bad penny I keep popping up. Anyhow, Gita Girl, you sent me so many beautiful cuttings with markings I must tell you I love you and your kindness is overwhelming. You are so very special. Everyone on this thread is just so special, Thank you all for every little word you sent to me. I read and re-read many of the posts and I am so lucky to be a part of such a wonderful group. Thank you for having me.

Gita, here is a bloom of what you had marked White???? (yes, the ??? were on the marker) and you were correct. ?????? is very good. It is more orange and yellow and pink. It is absolutely gorgeous but I have no clue what color you would call it. : ) I think I will name it Gita's Special when I start to sell it.

Also, Melindi is blooming. I just love her and this is her first year to bloom for me. The Red color is not a pure red either.

All the Thanksgiving Cactus (Zygocactus) are blooming just now or are at least pushing buds. I love this time of year.

Best get to work on balancing the check book. Here in NJ we go broke quickly and it is nearing the end of the month....or soon because my check book seems to show it had soon be payday. Love you all. JB

Gita, sorry I forgot to answer your question....I think that would be a red......My one eye is just not the best judge.
It looks a lot like Melindi or am I wrong??????????????

That Salmon is the most healthy looking plant and the babies are just as healthy. They are strong and big. Just love them.

I had a customer come to the farm today from south jersey and she picked up 6 nice plants. She told me the last order she got from Hirts was mismarked and she did not get all the colors she ordered. I have had that happen to me one or two times and of course I made it good, but this is something that I understand has been happening to people buying from Hirts.. I have never had that happen and they have good plants. She said some of her friends have had it happen. Too bad. A few bad comments like that going around certainly can hurt business. Especially if you do not make it good. Must get moving. JB

JB--How about calling that "Pink Champagne"????

It almost looks like the salmon one--but has that pinkish blush in it.
I sent you 2 salmons. One Red, one White (?) and one Pink.
Will see what they bloom out to be.

Gita

OK, Gita's Pink Champagne......New Hybrid we found. Very rare...so rare in fact we have no idea where to find another. LOL.

We will see what comes next. This is so fun.....even my new pacemaker is having fun. I am getting back to normal thank God with a few tiny little crappy things on the side which are just annoying. Must get a pedicure. Talk later. Hugs to all. JB

JB--

Be careful making up names! Someone may sue you--that knows the real name--or,
worse yet, if someone hybridized that--and it actually has a real name.
It's OK if you refer to it that way in your own records.....just for fun.
This must be one of the cuttings I got at either Lowes or HD.

My second pot of the Red CC is now blooming. I think it is the same as the other pot.
I was hoping it would be more solid red....:o(. There must be a red that does not have
the white at the base of the bloom....will keep looking....

1--Close up of the bloom on the "other pot" of the red CC.
2--Close up of the bloom on the first pot I posted (above). Same? Yes?
3--One of the smaller pots of the Salmon CC now in full bloom. See my new plant behind it?
The "Rattlesnake Plant"? It is a Calathea. Shelled out $20 to buy it.

This ladder top, I always take pictures of plants on, sits next to my bed and holds all my
tennis shoes I wear. It is right by a bright, S-facing window--so a perfect spot for taking pictures w/o a flash.
Behind it is my closet door--I have to close it to make a nice back-drop.

Oh I know Gita.....I would never use a name other than Gita on your plants because none of us know for sure they were not ever patented. When I get cuttings from people I only use the color and their name so I do not get into any trouble. I do not need more trouble.

What do you do with a snake plant? We used to have them growing at the house when I was a kid and I never saw them do anything if I remember?

Those reds are so pretty but as you say we still have to find a red red red. Right? I am going to keep looking also.

Time to work on wreaths and cones for the Christmas store so I will be coming and going on here for a few days until I get ready to open Friday. The season is about to begin here on the Christmas Tree Farm.

I also have 9 plants to ship Monday before I do anything else, so forgive me if I am slow in replying. Love you all. JB

JB--
Make sure you keep an eye out for that bubble envelope full of cuttings from my red CC.
The ones that fell off the Mama plant. It should arrive today (Saturday)....

More for you to propagate.....

I am impatient for all my "juvenile" CC to bloom. Doesn't look like they all will--unless they do it way later....
I want to know the colors--for sure!

HEY! JB---Looks like this Thread has become a two-way conversation of late...........:o)
YOOOHHOOOOO! Everyone else! Your CC's must also be blooming.
Show off your pictures!!!!

Here are the babies. Salmons, whites, pinks, yellows, orange, fucshia, peaches and cream is all that is left.

I sold all but a couple of new plantings on the lower shelf. This is all I have left for this year.

Thanks Gita. The red arrived late today and they were cold. A few buds fell off and they look a bit on the weak side. I gave them a drink....actually set them in tepid water to see if I can make them warmer and see if they perk up until morning. I am not sure but it looks to me as if you OVERwatered them, or they got cold prior to shipping. They just do not look like your normal cuttings. Beautiful red buds I sure hope I can make them better. Tomorrow I will begin my therapy for them. LOL Thanks again.

Will see you all later. Time to get creative and do my thing for the Christmas Store. Hugs.

JB---

Some of the branches of some other CC's look limp like that. I think that it is
mostly because the ONE section that rooted and produced the growth, gave up and rotted.
Yes--it may be that I over watered these, but even the others on the same plant look kind of limp.

This pot may have 2 different colors in it--you should see the other half in this same pot.
What makes the sections paper thin with NO "padding" inside? Like--you can see there is no "meat" in them.
I should just pinch back all this lanky growths to a reasonably fat section and let it re-grow.

I removed the calloused, semi-rotting bottom sections and sent you the pieces above that.
Whenever I see this limp stuff, I always suspect that something below the soil is not well.
Hate to just pull them up--but maybe i should. Maybe I do over water......
They were not cold before I shipped--they were inside. Maybe they got chilled somewhere on the way.
No harm--toss them if they do not recover. Really!

Well--Hope some of the sections will plump up for you. Gita

Hi everyone!! I am having no luck in finding CC here in the Houston area. After reading your posts I was wondering if any of you sell your cuttings. I have looked on ebay but seems they are mostly TC being passed off as CC. Are either one of you selling on ebay or in private I would so love to buy several cuttings. The more the merrier...

Thanks,
Linda in Houston

Hi, Linda---

Most people call the Thanksgiving (or Holiday) cactus a Christmas cactus. Just common word usage.

There is an actual true, Christmas Cactus--as you may know. There is also an Easter Cactus.

I have never owned a true Christmas cactus. Someone did send me some cuttings a while ago--
and I believe they are the Christmas cactus.

Here is a link that will help you see the differences. http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/3472/

If you go back to the top--and then back to part #5--coleup has posted all kinds of links there to help anyone out.

You may want to send JB a D-mail. She sells a lot of her plants. I do not. I share if I have extras.
Mailing a whole plant to Texas would take a bit of travel time...
Have you looked into some bigger nurseries in your area? Or--some catalogs may offer what you are looking for.

Lets hope JB sees this and offers you some more information.

Hope some of this helps. Gita

I spent some time today reading these holiday cactus threads. I never knew that there were Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter cactus. I've had one or two over the years, that I now know were Thanksgiving cactus. However, I have been notorious for house plant neglect, and they are long gone. I went up the hill to visit my mother this afternoon and took a good look at the holiday cactus that she has. They are definitely Christmas vs Thanksgiving cactus, and were my Grandmother's! The three pots of plants are still alive after 50 years, but they are not full or lush by any means. The leaves are also a yellowy pale green vs a nice healthy looking dark green - maybe because she keeps them on a sunny window sill vs somewhere with less light? I took a few cuttings and will try to root them and get them to grow. I'm pretty excited about the little project, especially with the connection to my Grandmother.

Terri that is so 'way cool'. You can name your cuttings after your Grandmother! And, hey, if they have survived for half a century, somebody's doing something right. They really old heirloom ones I've seen have quite woody stems (oops, lower segments) yet they are charming in a way that no money or sophisticated (new fangled) techniques could ever touch.

Happy Thanksgiving all.

I've "ignored" my Holiday cactus (and these threads) since moving to FL. The summer was spent getting hibiscus and other more tropical plants in the ground.
We are now getting into chilly evenings so was bringing the plants indoors - mostly Orchids. Then I got to my 2 "antique" cactus and found them full of buds. One is so elderly the bottom of the stalks look like wood and the put is so old it's beginning to crumble. My Mom had these for as long as I can remember. They have always bloomed at least 2X year. I think the move here confused them a bit but I'm thrilled to see they are going to provide some holiday color in another couple weeks.

Sorry to have been among the missing but this is the beginning of our only Sale season and we need to make it between now and Christmas Eve, or wait another year and see if things get better. The hurricane and noreaster we had all within two weeks gave these babies a shock but they hopefully will suvive. We have over 500 baby trees that thank God has some washout but not too much that could not be fixed. They all look pretty sick and it will be Spring before we can tell if they are alive.

I have only one that I really think is as close to a true Christmas Cactus as any I have seen on eBay or anywhere else. I would love to get my hands on a real one but there is a hybrid in so many of them that you can hardly find them. I think there is also a question in my mind what is really a true CC. The one I have that I have named Petra's Pink is the only one of all of mine that begins to bloom at Christmas. In fact, it is only now showing tiny buds and it has a month to go, so it is pretty much on time. I sent pictures of its leaves to the Cactus Guide.com and they agree that it is different but that there are signs of a hybrid in the shape of the leaves.

I feel the only Schlumbergera that is close to a True Christmas cactus is S. russelliana and that blooms late December into February. That is the one that I think I have but mine has a Hybrid in it someplace. LOL
You could drive yourself crazy trying to figure out what is a True. If you read the book Christmas Cacti by A.J.S, McMillan and J.F. Horobin you will be even more confused..........so find one that blooms close to Christmas and just be happy...who cares what it is called. I am getting too old for all this knowledge.

My pacemaker is working and I am still healing. Had no idea a small procedure like that could take so much out of you. They tell me it will be at least two months before I am allowed to put my left arm above my head to reach for anything. Can't you see me remembering that? Have a wonderful day my friends and love those plants. They will love you back. JB

This is the Petra's Pink stem and you can see it does not have the hybrid points on it. It is a much thinner and finer plant than most of the old hybrids. Hope this helps.

JB--

Good morning and Happy, yummy Thanksgiving to you! Hope you take this Day off and chill a bit.

A while back "birder" from MO (is that Montana or Missouri??) sent me some cuttings from her true CC. No name???
I potted them all in a cute clay planter and they are growing well.
She is another DG'er that thinks I walk on water....so sweet!

Here are a couple pictures I just took of it. New growth coming from one of them. Yeah! They are on their way!!

In your Post above--how do you know by looking at a real CC that it has some "hybrid" in it?
Is it all about the points? Mine looks pretty "real"--right? Be a couple years before it blooms.....

Gita

OK I just got a request from my sister in law for a cacti. I have a small little plant from last year that's just blooming now so I'll break off a piece of that for her, but I'm looking for a salmon and a pink/white thanksgiving cacti. JBerger im going to have to hook with you or keep my eye out for the sales at HD, or broken pieces ;)

Paul---

You must know by now that I have salmon CC's. The best color to boot.

Is your sister local here, or will you have to mail it to her? Where?

I will be happy to send you a rooted cutting of my Salmon CC.
Most of the ones JB has are from me....

*****Cuttings are best taken AFTER the CC has bloomed.

Let me know......Gita

Gita, that is great. I will actually be driving uo to nj in a few weeks, possibly we could work something out. Ill DM you.

She is in springfield, va. But I see them frequently.

Quick tangent: tugged on the brugs today and all were nice and tight. :)

Paul--

I will also be driving to NJ in a few weeks--like on Dec. 24th. Do it every year--to spend Christmas
with my sister's Clan. Otherwise--I do not do much of anything here.....Bah--Humbug!!!

Will look for your D-mail. Yeah on the Bugs all rooting--I knew they would!
What will you do with all of these Brugs next year?

I imagine, at this very moment, you are stuffing your face somewhere with turkey and all the fixings....

I will give you a 4" potted CC for your SIL. I have several.....

Here is a group of some of my smaller, Salmon CC's. They are all just about dome blooming now.

Happy Thanksgiving all my Holiday Cactus friends. Hope you all are enjoying wonderful blooms,

Read an article several months ago now where the writer claimed that her cactus did much better
and repeat bloomed more prolificly if she did not move it outside for the summer but kept it in same
spot where it was happy indoors.

Happy Thanksgiving to you too. Sorry I am a bit late but things are so busy here I can hardly keep up with it just now. I am still not back to normal energy wise.

I can believe the article you read about the CC blooming when not moved. I have had the same thing happen with mine. It is amazing what beasts of habit they become.

Here is a picture of one of the Hybrids Gita sent to me. The buds are a deep salmon when they come out and when they bloom they are a pale salmon. This picture shows you both.

Hello t All - some interesting reading. It seems that I too own a lot of Thanksgiving Cactus versus Christmas Cactus. For several weeks I have been enjoying a few blooms here and there. It is always so exciting and some how heart lifting to see them bloom after seeing mostly brown around for some months now. Coleup, thanks so much for mentioning about possibly leaving the CC in spot versus moving in and out doors. I might try that this year. I believe that some of my older ones which in years past, I left indoors all year round, did seem to bloom better for me too. I will give some thought to doing that this year.

I haven't snapped any photos, but will try to do so with two of mine that are currently newly blooming.

Terri, so glad that you have another new interest. It will be fun to watch your CC and see how it does. Please know too that there will probably be some offers at some of the swaps for more if you are so inclined. What I need to do this year that I haven't been faithful about doing in years past is to mark their colors so I will know what I am giving away or selling.

Anyway....will try to take some photos soon and share. Hope that you continue to heal and recover JB. Oh yeah, any sort of surgery takes a lot out of a person. Go easy on yourself.

Ruby

Thanks Ruby, I packed plants for several hours this morning and took them to the P.O. then the neighbor came to cut some of our big old Christmas Trees to use the greens for their wreaths and blankets at their farmers market.
Too tired to talk. later. JB

JB---

Update as some of my other CC's start to bloom.....

1--This is the 2nd pot of red that bloomed. Sorry00it is out of focus
2--In the same pot as above--there was a clump that has now bloomed--
a beautiful, deep pink--with touches of white in the bottom.
3--Same beautiful pink--two more blooms.
4--Then--on the windowsill where my "babies" are residing--this one opened up.
I had it labeled as "white" from HD gathered sections---but it has this lovely tinge of pink.

That is all that is new now. I may have to separate the Pic. #1 red one from the pot of
all pink stems. Hate to do it--but may have to.

OK! So much for the latest update. Gita

JB--

Wanted to show you how well all the CC's that you sent me are doing.
As I am always running out of space to put plants--I had an AHA! moment....

I have 2 "task lights" (single 2' bulb) under my kitchen cabinets that sit above the counter top
on either side of my stove. Why can't i use these to put some small plants under? WHY????

And--so I did. On one side are all your CC's and on the other are my 2 Rex Begonias and some small pots with cc's rooting.
Just enough light to make them all happy.

Question:
Since your CC's are all growing so nicely--should I pinch off the tips of some of them
and root them? OR---is there a chance they will bloom again in March-or so?
Should I wait until then?
Very, very few of my CC's bloom twice. Have a pink one blooming a bit right now.

Thanks, G.

How great the look, Gita. You certainly have a green thumb. My Holiday Cactus are all still blooming. Some of the ones you sent me are still blooming. Not exactly sure why because it is time to take cuttings but I just want to let them bloom until they are finished. I just used some of the granules you recommended on the big old stock plants. This is the time of year when the mealy bugs start to get into the older plants and so keep your eyes open. My one old plant was looking so sad and I could not figure out why. Nothing I could see on it but I had not looked under the leaves. I went to wash it off yesterday and found mealy bug, big time. So, it got a good bath and spraying and granules. So, since I had it out they all got some. That is really easy to apply. Love it.

If you are sure your plants are finished blooming you can take cuttings if you want. Thanks again for sharing those pictures.