{"id":3197,"date":"2015-12-25T23:03:15","date_gmt":"2015-12-25T23:03:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.reading.ac.uk\/crg\/?p=3197"},"modified":"2015-12-25T23:03:15","modified_gmt":"2015-12-25T23:03:15","slug":"advent-botany-2015-christmas-day-the-christmas-cactus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/2015\/12\/25\/advent-botany-2015-christmas-day-the-christmas-cactus\/","title":{"rendered":"Advent Botany 2015 – Christmas Day: The Christmas Cactus"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Alastair Culham<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"christmas-cactus-277690_960_720\"<\/a>My grandfather grew a huge Christmas cactus which flowered regularly every year. \u00a0It spent the summers in a shady spot in the garden and the winters indoors away from the frost. \u00a0It intrigued me because it didn’t look like a cactus – it had no obvious spines and the stems were flat and bright green. \u00a0However, even if not cactus like it certainly flowered over the Christmas period.<\/p>\n

Now there are a myriad of Christmas cactus cultivars with flowers varying from magenta, through red, orange and yellow to brilliant white. \u00a0Some of these are a little more difficult to grow than my grandad’s plant but all seem to tolerate modern centrally heated houses with good grace.<\/p>\n

Cultivation<\/h2>\n

Christmas cacti are woodland plants that prefer a semi shaded aspect in the summer, although in a UK winter they will tolerate full sun without harm. \u00a0They like a humid atmosphere but are intolerant of over wet compost, very much like Moth orchids (Phalaenopsis<\/em>). \u00a0They like well drained but moist compost (a proprietary cactus mix or John Innes No 2 with added composted bark work well). \u00a0They do best if kept in small pots and can be repotted each year (or two) around Easter as they begin growth.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
A well grown Christmas cactus in flower<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At this time of year a healthy Christmas cactus will be flowering so should be kept watered (the flowers can lose a lot of moisture)\u00a0but as it finishes it will need a rest and a slightly drier period at around 10-15C. \u00a0From April the plant comes back into vigorous growth and can be given dilute houseplant fertilizer when watered. \u00a0After any risk of frost Christmas cacti do well outside providing they can be protected from slugs and snails (which can destroy a plant overnight). \u00a0By September the new flower buds appear and the plant should be brought into a cool room inside and watered sparingly while the buds develop. Once the buds have developed and the flowers are expanding more water will be needed again. \u00a0Christmas cacti are readily propagated simply by cutting off a piece of stem with three to four years growth, drying the cut end overnight and planting in a well drained cutting compost (50% grit). \u00a0Rooting takes three to six weeks.<\/p>\n

Christmas cactus – what is it and where is it from?<\/h2>\n

So far I’ve avoided using a scientific name for the Christmas cactus. \u00a0That’s with good reason, as a child I knew Christmas cactus as Zygocactus truncatus<\/em> and Easter cactus as Schlumbergera gaertneri<\/em> but modern taxonomy based on phylogenetic principles tells me both are now wrong. \u00a0Christmas cactus is Schlumbergera truncata<\/em> (or one of its hybrids under the name Schlumbergera<\/em> x buckleyi<\/em>) and Easter cactus is Hatiora gaertneri<\/em>, so both haved moved from one genus to another.\u00a0 \u00a0These two plants form part of the Rhipsalideae – a fascinating group of epiphytic cacti including the only cacti\u00a0<\/span>truly native to Africa<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Distribution<\/a>
Distribution of Schlumbergera<\/i> spp.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Whichever genus Christmas cactus now belongs to we know it originated in the forests of Eastern Brazil (the Atlantic Forest), a highly threatened series of habitats of great conservation concern. \u00a0The species grows on rocks and on trees in damp but shallow soil and moss. \u00a0Although close to the equator, these species are often at high altitude in warm and humid areas that can become quite cold (but rarely freezing) at times. \u00a0The bright tubular flowers are adapted to hummingbird pollination and not designed to be attractive to humans!<\/p>\n

\"christmas-cactus-904483_960_720\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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