Related
You ’ve believably try about the Christmas cactus , ahigh - shock , low - upkeep plant that injects color into dark wintertime . But did you also get laid about the Thanksgiving cactus ? They are different plants ! Bothsucculentshail from South America and have many similar qualities , such as nodule leaves , pointy heyday , and originate patterns . They are often confuse with one another , even by garden shop , which sometimes mislabel them .
But do n’t worry ; the cardinal differences are easy to espy once you know what they are . Learn how you’re able to separate , once and for all , which plant you ’re dealing with . Below find tip for propagate , and getting the bestholiday salad days .
Cactus Qualities
There are a few key affair to look for when deciphering between a Christmas cactus ( Schlumbergera bridgesii ) and a Thanksgiving cactus ( genus Schlumbergera truncata ) .
Leaves
Image credits : jupiterimages via FreeImages
It ’s easy to tell these two works apart when you wait closely at the physique of their leave-taking . Though both have segmented , serrate leave , the difference lies in the edges of the foliage .
Christmas cactus leave are round and scollop along the boundary with a slenderly curved tip . The Thanksgiving cactus is noticeably spiky , with two to four points on each side of the farewell , including on the point , much like antenna .
Flowers
Image credit rating : GeoffS via MorgueFile
The flowers of both plants bloom from the tips of the leaves and have similar cannular shapes with multiple layers of pedal point . If the right conditions are met , both can bloom more than once a year .
If the flowers are pink or white with pink or purple anthers ( pollen - producing parts ) and bloom in December , you ’re depend at a Christmas cactus .
The Thanksgiving cactus , contrastingly , comes in a wider range of color — let in pastel garden pink , orange , purple , red , and bloodless — with yellow anthers . And they ( surprise ! ) bloom closer to Thanksgiving .
General Care Tips
Though different plants , the process forcaring for Christmas and Thanksgiving cactiis the same .
Pot, Soil, and Water
simulacrum credits : James Jiao via Shutterstock
These cacti do well in smaller pots . Under - potting them will allow them to become root word - bound before moving up somewhat in pot size . They are n’t too picky about soil but expand in a potting mixspecially formulated for succulents . Select a pot with ample drain and become watering check to see if the soil is dry 1 column inch down .
Light and Temperature
Image quotation : Nadezhda Nesterova via Shutterstock
These cacti are known as poor - twenty-four hour period plants . To flower , they need 12 to 14 hours of shadow per day for about four to six weeks . Nighttime temperatures should range between 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit during this fourth dimension as well . If your climate does n’t naturally offer these condition , mime them by moving your plant to a more secluded elbow room in the weeks before the vacation .
Maintain this cool and morose environment until you see blossom bud appearing . At that point , you may put your flora on showing for everyone to enjoy its merry colors .
Common Issues
Image reference : Hans via Pixabay
Luckily , both cacti are gentle to care for and not prone to manydiseases or pest . The chief exit with these plant is overwatering and too much exposure to the sunlight . A shrink fore can sign either , so if you see this , measure the environs and check on the moistness of the grime .
If you do n’t see flowers , you might not be contribute your plant the dark it need , so try switching the location . If you have flowers , but the bud are dropping , this could be because of wrong or fluctuating temperature , so verify your plant is n’t too live during the solar day and/or too cold at night .
Sometimes you might just notice your plant is n’t produce much new growth . This could be due to overpotting , meaning your stack is too large to allow for the necessary plenty - binding . Try remove some territory andmoving your plantto a smaller pot .
Propagating
Image credit : Focused Adventures via Shutterstock
Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti are talent that keep on gift . Often , these plants are passed down over generations through shared cuttings from one mother plant ( like a trustworthy sourdough entrant ! ) . When you prune your cactus , save cuttings from two or more section to produce plants to partake in with friend and family . The best meter to prune is after the blooming time of year .
grade your cutting into a jar of water and will it in a lustrous location . Watch your cutting , and be trusted to top up the body of water over this time . In up to eight weeks , you should see ancestor that have grown to about the duration of the film editing . Then , you ’re ready to sight following the focal point above .
A Buzzworthy Bloom
This holiday season , bring a new topic of conversation to the dinner party table and see if your family knows the dispute . you may print them with your fresh - institute cognition . Though care for these two plants will remain similar , it ’s nice to know once , and for all which plant you ’re dealing with so you may maximise its vacation bloom .
