Schlumbergera

is it an easy plant to keep?

 

Mira, it's not even an easy plant to pronounce :D :D

We had a S. gaertneri some years ago. I got a feeling that it is the Easter cactus (but of course it's not really a cactus). Never had any real problems that I remember. Don't know about other types.

 

I agree with John that it is the Easter Cactus, the Christmas Cactus now being called a a Zygocactus truncatus I believe.

They are Forest Cactus as opposed to Desert Cactus and there are six specific varieties I know of ... besides the two above mentioned there is Epiphyllum hybrid, the Orchid Cactus (there is a massive one near here climbing up a lamp post, it must be 10 feet tall), Aporocactus flagelliformis, the Rat's Tail Cactus, Rhipsalis cassutha, the Mistletoe Cactus and Rhipsalis paradoxa, the chain cactus.

The natural habitat of these cactus is attached to trees in woodlands and jungles. They have magnificent blooms but can be difficult to bring into flower. You should provide a cool and dry resting period and you should never move the plant once buds appear. They prefer a well-lit spot shaded from direct sunlight ... although I don't know how this Epiphyllum survives here.

roders has a fantastic one so perhaps he can give you better advice.

 

I've kept Schlumbergeras for years and until now I didn't realise that's what they were called. I just called the early flowering ones Christmas cactus and the later ones Easter cactus. The early ones are just finishing flowering now. They give a fantastic show every year about this time. I pot them into cheap potting compost and keep them very dry, if they get too damp, they will rot from the base but other than that, they are no problem at all to keep.
If you want to increase your stock, just pick off a leaf, leave it to dry for several days and then put it in almost dry compost, they root very quickly.

 

roders...do you have a fantastic one...?

 

hahaha

 

Whoops!

He has a fantastic Christmas or Easter Cactus. :D

 

never heard it called that befor LOL

 

Had a christmas cactus for years and was easy to keep.
A little water and feed and it was happy, untill it was picked up to clean the surface to whit it was place, and snapped off at the base of the stem.
Decided to gid rid of it, as it was getting to big for the window sill any way.