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RE: The Christmas Cactus is blooming right on schedule
I posted something similar not long ago. I was informed in the comments to my post that this is in fact a Thanksgiving Cactus instead of a Christmas Cactus, which is what I called mine as well. Beautiful plant, ours is in full bloom now too!
Wow, really? I have never heard of it called that, every one always comments that it is a Christmas Cactus. Too funny! Either way, I love it when it blooms in December. Thanks for letting me know. ;-)
I'm with ya there...always called it a Christmas Cactus myself...and probably always will. :)
Haha -- That was me. I left a separate reply that explains the difference. I'm not trying to be a grinch!
It's all good, I was just trying to share the knowledge...altho I probably will continue calling it by the wrong name...LOL
: )
I know it as a Christmas cactus, but maybe that's because we don't traditionally have Thanksgiving in the UK!
@sunscape and @justagenstum - the Schlumbergera is both called that and also Crab Cactus and Holiday cactus. Mine didn't bloom this year but it has double its size.
Both of them are Schlumbergera, but they are different species. They have different flowers, stems, and bloom times. The plants in all three of our posts are the Crab Cactus, for sure, S. truncata. I'm on a mission here now, lol. To stand up for the real Christmas cactus - that starts blooming at Christmas, not the month before. A fool's errand, I know. Oh well.... ; )
We all stand corrected.....lol.....wow, who knew all this time, thank goodness you were on a mission. Now, I will officially call my plant a Thanksgiving cactus that I can still enjoy until Christmas. I just saw your links in the other comment below and I will check them out. Thanks for letting us all know who our cactus really are!
I feel so bad about even bringing it up, lol. The last thing anyone needs is to have somebody chasing them saying, "Call your cactus by its right name!". Enjoy your blooming cactus every moment! If you do see any for sale, though, that haven't started blooming yet and have the rounded edges on their leaves. But maybe now you will be on the lookout for the traditional Christmas cactus, too. : )
@haphazard-hstead am glad you did - I wasn't daring enough to call it out Schlumbergera truncata to be exact -
I was hoping you would - it's the crab cactus that she has right? Cause this one has pointy edges like that of the crab's shears and the Christmas Cactus ( Schlumbergera buckleyii )has a round more of a round edge.
I played it safe and just gave Schlumbergera - I have the crab one - with red flowers. My Christmas cactus died two years ago - too much watering :D
Yep, it's those pointy edges that are the give-away for the Crab cactus. I hope you can find another of the real Christmas cactus. I think they are getting harder to find because the commercial growers can sell more plants when the are in bloom - which means the S. truncata before the Christmas season.
Thank you so much for letting us all know. I have never really known what it was called. Glad to finally know. I like the Crab Cactus as I am a Cancer sign which is a crab...see I totally love this plant.
@sunscape you're welcome!