This occurs when the roots are dead or dying! See more ideas about plants, planting flowers, house plants. To initiate the production of flower buds, make sure you expose it to at least 16 hours of darkness and eight hours of light for at least six weeks. You want them in an area with lots of bright natural light. Question: now that my plant is starting to bloom, do I need to water more often? This is especially common in hanging baskets, which we tend to water more lightly than we should, fearing any surplus water will pour out of the saucer onto the floor. Lack of flowering is often due to light interrupting the long night period (14 hours) that is required for flowering initiation to occur. Do not leave these cacti outside if temperatures will drop below 50 ºF. Note that there are no true leaves on either of these holiday cacti, so photosynthesis occurs within the green phylloclades. If that’s your diagnosis, don’t just water the plant, soak the root ball. Sometimes, when potting soil is very, very dry, it repels water, so when you water the plant, moisture no longer penetrates the soil, but runs off immediately into the saucer below. Unpot the plant and remove as much of the old soil as you can. The anthers of the Thanksgiving cactus are yellow, whereas the anthers on the Christmas cactus are purplish-brown. They have no leaves at all or rather, no longer do. HOW CAN YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHRISTMAS CACTUS AND THANKSGIVING CACTUS? This plant got its nickname from their willingness to bloom in late November, around Thanksgiving. Water when dry. Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus bloom best when slightly pot-bound. Good luck saving your Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti! Both Thanksgiving and Christmas Cactus are easy care plants that can bloom for many weeks. Schlumbergera, a small genus of cactus with 6 accepted species, is found in the coastal mountains of south-eastern Brazil. The Christmas cactus still blooms each winter with its message of faith and hope. Source: Julie Weisenhorn. Although quite forgiving of irregular care, they do prefer “even moisture” throughout the year. Thanksgiving cactus usually blooms from November through December. Thughorse, garden.org. These plants often bloom in shades of pink, yellow, white, or red, which adds a bright contrast to your traditional fall décor. Logic would seem to suggest they simply need to be watered more, but that’s not necessarily the right thing to do. How Often Should I Water a Holiday Cactus? There are two main reasons why moisture fails to reach the stems, especially the last segments. A healthy, blooming Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata). Schlumbergera russelliana, discovered in 1837, blooms between February and April and became the Easter cactus. They often repeat flowering later in the winter. What you might not know is that those early bloomers are Thanksgiving cacti, and they’re a totally different species. Bloom form is another indicator of species difference. will be suitable. Street lights, car lights, or indoor lighting can disrupt the required dark period. Schlumbergera russelliana, discovered in 1837, blooms between February and April and became the Easter cactus. Grasp the base of the Thanksgiving Cactus firmly while inverting the pot. Difference between Christmas cactus and Thanksgiving cactus. Bloom form is another indicator of species difference. Note the characteristic saw-toothed serrations on the stem segments. Simply put, they are the easiest for growers to have ready to ship so that they will arrive in stores with buds that are ready to bloom … • The lobes on the leaves of Christmas cactus are rounded while the lobes of Thanksgiving cactus are pointed, and to some, they appear as claws of a bird. Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer. The Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) has flat leaves with pointed teeth & hairs, and anthers that are yellow. I live in southern British Columbia and not Brazil, so my plant is inside, and I soak my plant with water every 30 days. My Christmas has noticeably narrower leaves and of course the rounded lobes but I will enjoy its blooms late next month. Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus bloom best when slightly pot-bound.