So I suggest you put your plants in a spot that receives no artificial light between 6 pm and 5:30 am. The true Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) blooms later in the year than the Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata). Ask a Question. If your wilted or limp Christmas cactus has leaves that appear to be parched or scorched, move it to an area with more shade, particularly in the afternoon. When looking at Christmas cactus vs thanksgiving cactus vs easter cactus there are minor differences to look out for. Schlumbergera russelliana, discovered in 1837, blooms between February and April and became the Easter cactus. So the Christmas Cactus blooms around Christmas, the Thanksgiving Cactus about a month earlier, around Thanksgiving, and the Easter Cactus grows flowers in spring around Easter. Difference between Christmas and Thanksgiving Cactus: How to Tell. If your pot has a saucer beneath it to catch excess water, make sure to discard this water so the root system doesn’t sit in a puddle. This article attempts to clarify differences between Christmas cactus and Thanksgiving cactus by highlighting their features. THE CACTUS PLANT I TREASURE MOST comes not from the desert, but from the mountains of Brazil, where it grows, like the orchid, in the crotches of trees. Christmas Cactus - Schlumbergera x buckleyi If one part of the plant is healthy, you can use a leaf to propagate a new plant. If you get your holiday cactus plant outside the blooming period, you can identify it by looking at the leaves. Thanksgiving cacti should be in full bloom right now. Remove the plant gently from its pot. Thanksgiving Cacti start to bloom in late October/early November. Easter cactus need 8-12 weeks of short days to bloom. They are both easy to grow, and will rebloom year after year during the cold winter months! Easter Cactus red, pink or purple flowers are brighter than those of the cold season cacti and star-shaped. Easter cactus can be placed in the same cool area as the Thanksgiving and Christmas Cactus. The tricky part is sometimes, Christmas and Thanksgiving Cacti also have a … The Christmas Cactus is one of the most popular houseplants sold during the holidays. The stem, or what looks like the leaf segments, on the Thanksgiving cactus has distinct pointed edges as shown above. You can easily visually tell the difference between Christmas cactus and Thanksgiving cactus by looking at the stem segments. Christmas Cacti are tear-drop shaped with, rounder, scalloped edges This plant, when properly cared for, will survive for decades. With reference to their namesake, Easter cacti typically bloom in spring, around the time of Easter. There are several species of this plant, but the Christmas cactus gets its simple name because it tends to bloom around the holiday season. Water your Christmas cactus when the top inch (2.54 cm) of the soil feels dry when you stick your finger in the soil. The leaf segments, called “phylloclades,” are serrated or “toothed,” with pointy spines; with 2 … The leaves are technical modified stems. You can tell the Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) apart from the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) from the shape of its leaves. Unlike many cactus, the Christmas cactus comes from a tropical climate, not a dry dessert one so naturally, it will need more water than you would give most cactus plants. First, both Thanksgiving cactus and the true Christmas cactus need short days (less than 12 hours of sunlight per day) starting in late September or they won’t bloom at all. Christmas cactus is a beautiful house plant that’s perfect for the holiday season. If your “Christmas Cactus” is already blooming in November, chances are you actually have a Thanksgiving Cactus. In some circles, they’re referred to as the Thanksgiving cactus or the holiday cactus. If your plant is a Christmas cactus then it should have scalloped or tear dropped leaves. Can I save a Christmas (Thanksgiving) cactus with some split brown stems - apparently root rot? Depending on the severity of the disease, rotten Christmas cactus roots will be slimy with black or brown decay. Before we get into how to root this plant, let’s get specific. Christmas cactus are everywhere during the holiday season, with good reason. Overwatering will eventually lead to root rot. In this post, I show you how to tell the difference between these two popular plants, and share my holiday cactus care tips. All three Holiday cacti can be propagated quite easily by removing a single segment and planting it a quarter of its length deep in a pot filled with slightly sandy soil. Answer: An Easter cactus, also known as a spring cactus or Rhipsalidopsis gaetneri or Hatiora gaetneri, is one of three popular holiday cacti—alongside the previously mentioned Thanksgiving and Christmas species. While you can plant Christmas cactus outside, it's not a good idea since they're picky about temperature and light—they thrive only in indirect light and require temperatures above 50°F (10°C). The leaves of the Thanksgiving Cactus have jagged or serrated edges with 2-4 sharp points on each side. How to grow this easy-to-find “Thanksgiving Cactus,” and how to tell it apart from the rare “Christmas Cactus:” From late October through … Woopygamer23. Flowers that bloom during holidays come on either the tips of the plant or the notches of stems. Schlumbergera truncata flowers in October and November and became Thanksgiving cactus. So I suggest you put your plants in a spot that receives no artificial light between 6 pm and 5:30 am. Sometimes a plant might start to drop buds at this time. Christmas cactus and Thanksgiving cactus need about six weeks of short days. Whether you have a Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata), a true Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera x Buckleyi), or an Easter cactus (Hatiora gaertneri), the care instructions are the same but with an adjusted schedule. Yes No. They do not look like a cactus, but in reality, this is a member of the cactus family and comes in two varieties. Christmas and Thanksgiving Cactus do well in sandy soils that have excellent drainage, and they hate to be overwatered. The leaf segments, botanically termed “phylloclades”, are serrated or "toothed" on the former as compared to the more rounded leaf margins of the Christmas cactus. The easiest way to tell them apart, though, is the shape of their stem segments or phylloclades (cladodes). Taking care of a Christmas Cactus is not difficult. 200 characters left. Leaves: You can tell the Thanksgiving cactus apart from the Christmas cactus by the shape of its leaves. You might see a lot of stores selling these brightly colored succulents during the months of October to December. The difference between the 3 can be found in the shape of the plant’s leaves. There are similar-looking plants that bloom at Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter. Reviving a Limp Christmas Cactus. According to U-Mass Extension Service, “Most commercial cultivars of holiday cactus are actually Schlumbergera truncata, commonly known as Thanksgiving cactus or Zygocactus. The Christmas Cactus: A Quick Overview of the Plant. For starters, there are three kinds of “holiday cactus” – Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, all native to Brazil. Two of the most popular holiday cactus varieties are Thanksgiving cactus and Christmas cactus. Not Helpful 4 Helpful 23. The Easter cactus, the Thanksgiving cactus, and the Christmas cactus are all closely associated. A holiday cactus with root rot displays wilted, limp, sagging growth, but an inspection of the roots will tell the tale. By the way, that Christmas cactus you are buying is probably not actually a Christmas cactus. That's right! However, there is another key feature that distinguishes the two. Christmas Cactus. Christmas Cacti begin to bud in late November/early December. Here’s how you can identify and collect all three so you can have cacti blooming for every holiday season! I’m referring to the magnificent Schlumbergera truncate, pictured above. Both Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti have a flat plant body and the leaves are actually their stems. How to tell the Thanksgiving Cactus from at Christmas Cactus. In Lancaster County, these plants spend cold months indoors. In December, raise the temperature to about 65 degrees and water sparingly. Surprise! First, both Thanksgiving cactus and the true Christmas cactus need short days (less than 12 hours of sunlight per day) starting in late September or they won’t bloom at all. When the buds appear, it can be brought into a warmer area for your enjoyment. Community Answer. They're gorgeous blooming succulents that can live up to 100 years! Thanks! How to Root Cactus Cuttings. Poor drainage and soggy roots can make Christmas cactus very limp. Some people love to call it the crab cactus thanks to its leaf-shaped stem … If the cactus is affected by rot, the roots will display blackened tips. Easter cacti, as you probably guessed, bloom in the spring. 10. The best way to tell the difference between Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti is to take a close look at the leaves. Hi Guys In this Blog I will talking about how you can tell the difference between Christmas and Thanksgiving cactus and also sharing a link to a video I have made for my Cacti & Succulent You Tube Channel called Desert Plants of Avalon where I go into more detail about the differences between Christmas and Thanksgiving Cactus and also Easter Cactus. Their flowers and stems are similar and it is quite common for people to mistake them for the same plants. Leaves. In fact, the majority of plants sold as the Christmas cactus are actually the Thanksgiving cactus. Schlumbergera bridgessii, commonly referred to as Christmas cactus, is a type of succulent that originates from the tropical rainforest of Brazil. 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