Gorgeous blooms, GM, I'm jealous! My TC's won't ever bloom while we live in this apartment, as there is no cool, dark place to keep them. It's either cooking hot inside or freezing cold outside.
I believe one way to tell TC from CC is the edges of the leaves...TC has points along the leaf edges, and CC has rounded or scalloped leaf edges...please anyone, correct me if I'm wrong.
Enjoy your beautiful blooms!

Am not a fan of houseplants, but that is one awesome bloom.
Where can I buy one like it?
Pondy

Here is a different one I have. Not sure what the color name is.

Ponderwelr- it was purchased at WAl-mart. Also have seen them at Menards. Or email me in March for a start off mine.

Hi, all. When in San Diego, we visited the Botanical Gardens, and there must have been 30 different types of zygocacti. So now I don't call them seasonal names. Right now I have jagged-edge ones blooming in white, and peach. Also have scalloped-edge ones blooming in pink. Go figure! They didn't bloom for me at home; but since I've had them at the office, they started each Septmber and bloom sporadically till early spring. We think it's the light; at home they got daylight followed by artificial light once we got home at night. At the office, they get pretty equal periods of light and dark, as the office has no lights on after 4.

Just my observations--

The original CC, which was once known as bridgesii is really one of those 'hand me down' type of plants. I don't think I've ever seen one for sale.

Dave

Dave, I believe that I have heard that also. The first picture though is not that, its the Thanksgiving one. With the pointy leave segments, same for second ones segments. I did see em at Menards yesterday in fact, for 2.49 each for the smaller sized pots. Almost picked up another one. You know, not quite the same color as what have so... Key word almost. LOL Do have two of the Christmas ones though. They were originally ones my mother had. My Aunt had em and she gave em to me, maybe four years ago now. They have bloomed now the last two years really well. First year nothing.second just one or two blossoms. They now have some buds on and I am waiting for them to open fully. Although do have a picture from last year, think.? Will have to look. Or maybe will post of the now look and the later. :)

Elvis, would love to see a picture of your peach one.Do have a small white one myself. It came from my Aunt. Her grandkids broke off part of it while I was there one day, and of course, couldn't just throw it away.*grin

This one is from last year.

Yup...That's it...try and find THOSE anywhere...LOL

Heres two from this year.

I think the flowers are more elegant that the Zygocacti that are hybridized.

Dave
Milwaukee

Hello folks, According to the "experts" at our local county fair, the pointy leafed cactus is the Christmas Cactus, and the more rounded leafed ones are called Easter Cactus. I have both kinds and when I bring them in from the cold just before they freeze, they both begin blooming. They will bloom again in the spring, especially if left to get pretty dry (through neglect, basically), as they bloom because they think they are going to die and put out blooms to make seed to replace themselves. I never bother with any kind of dark periods. They bloom without any special treatment. Mine seem to thrive on neglect. I did have all kinds of colors at one time, red, rose, pink, and white, but they got so large I just left them outside and they eventually froze, of course. I would like to get a yellow one sometime if I ever find someone who has one of those. The Easter cactus I have is from one I got at a rummage sale about 30 years ago. I treated it with TLC for a couple years and finally it put out a couple buds which my young son, Tom, thought shouldn't be part of the plant and he picked them off before they opened. So I waited another couple of years before I ever saw what they really looked like fully open.

Hello all;

The Easter Cactus is not pictured in any of the above pics. Although the plant could be mistaken for the true Christmas cactus the flowers are VERY different. They are not tubular but more open...almost starlike. They only come in a few colors as they have not been hybridized as much as the 2.

The ones with the pointed joints have been hybridized so much I don't think you could actually call them just Christmas cactus anymore.

But the original Christmas Cactus is still my favorite. It has such an elegant form and growth habit. What it lacks in color variety it makes up for in true beauty....only my opinion, of course.

Dave
Milwaukee

Dave, The one with the pink blossom, Thanksgiving or Easter? The other is of the sunrise cacti. Anyone know what kind of flower it gets?

{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}

The pink one is a thanksgiving Cactus....the Sunrise is probably an orange form of the Easter Cactus. I can see the soft spines in the aeroles. But side from that, you can see how much more smooth the edges of the joints are compared to the original CC in the pics above.

Dave, The CC is now blooming again. :) So are the zygo cactus. Will let you know when the cc are done and will send you some than. Hope your all having a great New Year.
{{!gwi}}

hehehe. Me wanna! Me wanna!...thank you so much!

Dave

Dave,

Haven't forgotten about you. The CC is still in bloom.

What happened to the pictures, I posted? I can no longer see half of them. There are red x's instead of the picture, and when go to click this it says it is no longer available, something to that affect. Anyone have any idea? *:(

Never mind I remember. I deleted some from photobucket with out thinking. Oh,Poooooh Bear!!!!:( Anyone wants to see more of the CC just let me know. Still have some other Pictures. Sorry about that.

Wow!...still blooming in February? That's a long stretch. You must be caring for it very well.

Dave
Not doing anything special. Just some TLC, called watering. (LOL) Took some starts last week of the other CC that wasn't producing any buds, but see just now it is getting some on it.:) The zygo Cactus is still in bloom as well. Notice the red one has a couple just starting on it as well. This makes this below zero weather not quite so bad! Now just the white one to go and they will all have bloomed twice. Life is good! Will send you a few pictures of the CC now in bloom, so you can enjoy as well till I am able to send some starts your way.

how can i get some of the cc cactus you have? i have everything else but the cc. and i just love them. i have books that tell me how to give them tlc

adonc. Welcome to Gardenweb first of all.
You may want to make a list on your member page of plants and seeds for a possible exchange. Your email is also blocked. which books do you have on CC's?

gardeningmomof3 I have seen the photos of your beautifull cactus. I have heard and read so many different things about the different cactus. One is a holiday and one is an Easter and one is Christmas etc. Which one is the one in the picture (bright pink bloom)? I have several just exactly like it. Many Many start. Mine is over 50 years old and belonged to my grandmother. I am wondering if you know how to force bloom it??
Thank You
Thank you

ca77le,
the very first picture is of the Thanksgiving cactus. Mine is sitting in the same window, which is facing East, and I just water it maybe once a week very little, more so when it is blooming. They say so much darkness/light and temperature all play a part with the Christmas cactus, not real sure if its the same for Thanksgiving. However, my Thanksgiving cactus sits there 365 days a year and I water it once a week give or take a few days. Right now mine is in desperate need of a potting change, so its not as nice this year.

milwdave,
How are your Christmas Cactus doing this year?

Hello All,

I have a red yellow and white,the white doesn't look so good the leaves are wrinkled and soft, watering it doesn't solve the problem,any ideas as how to save it?
I would also like to start new plants,is there a trick to growing them?
Your pictures are all very nice,they remind me of my sisters plant,it's huge and when it blooms it's just breathtaking.

lp

lp,
Well if you haven't done anything different with the cactus than usual, don't over water it, it may just need to be repotted in a bigger pot. In fact the very first picture I showed the nice pink one above,(Thanksgiving Cactus)I had the same problem with it, (picture is two years old now)so I repotted today in fact. Is easy to start new ones, just take a couple segments off of the plant you wish to start new ones from, place in dirt and water lightly, when dry to touch water and repeat. Did that with the pink one today as well. For me I like to take like three segment section off of the one to start a new one with. Hope that made sense. Wait till they are not blooming to make new starts, though.

Thanks for the planting tips I'll give them a try as soon as my potting soil thaws.

lp

I've been told they like to be a little root bound though too. Wrinkled and soft kind of sounds like overwatering, could you maybe be giving it too much?

Mine is blooming this year for the first time I can remember! It's in a cool room in a southern window, it's the happiest I've seen it!

Well sad to say I think it's dead now.I let my wife talk me into letting some kittens in the house over winter.I went to water and found it upside down and smashed.My others are doing well,I think I'll move upstairs they don't go up there often.

lp

That too is possible, thats why I stated not to over water it above. Mine that I just repotted less than two weeks ago is looking better and now has two buds on it! :) I didn't replant mine since I bought it, so it was definately time to repot mine. Now just hope the new starts do as well.

lp, you could maybe try to take just a few starts off of the one the cute little kitties played with.

I have a five year old planted cutting from a christmas cactus and it has never bloomed. I leave it outside from the end of frost season until the beginning of frost season. I want to see it bloom. My other thanksgiving are blooming like crazy. my 5 year old easter cutting has never bloomed either. What am I doing wrong?

addicted2wsing....sent you an email.

gardeningmomof3
Oh, your cactus is beautiful and thank you for showing it to us. Last year I bought a little one. This year, so far I only have 2 or 3 buds. I hope it will get more. Hope I'm not getting too greedy. lol

I just put it outside today where it is a bit cooler. It's a ice sunny afternoon and later I'll bring it back in. I've been keeping it in the dark closet at night. Should I still be putting back in there. When do you take it out of the dark completely.

if you got buds on, no need to put back in closet.

Does anyone know how big a Christmas Cactus can get? Mine is about 8' in circumference and about three feet tall. It was a gift I got in 1996, it was approx. 1 foot tall then but now it's so big I can't move it...I may also mention I live in Northern California an this guy is outside year around....

This post was edited by Jayleec on Mon, Dec 22, 14 at 13:02

Oh my goodness that's huge . . .
Mine is over 2 feet wide with nice, big, woody stems and I started it as a cutting in 2005. Looks like the pics aren't on the computer. It is the old-fashioned kind, passed down as an heirloom plant in the family. I too love their elegance and their ease of care.
I would also love to know how big they can get. I wish I could leave mine outside all year long and let it get that enormous! I'd love to see that covered in blooms . . . !!!

Nice plant, Jayleec. You may want to start a post on the Cacti & Succulents Forum (link below). They would love to see it and offer much expertise.

tj

Here is a link that might be useful: Cacti & Succulent Forum

Thanks! I am amazed at it's size and will post a pic as suggested in the Cacti section, I'm new to this still trying to navigate the site. I'll post when in bloom which should be in about two weeks....

Mine do best at the office, as they get light and dark in pretty even portions, whereas at home they get light all day and then more light when we get home and turn on the lights. Mine bloom at work right around Thanksgiving, I am convinced it's the light.

If you would like to see a truly amazing zygocactus-like bloom, check this out. It's a Night-blooming Cereus. Each bloom opens in the dark and stays open for a few hours, and that's it. Smells like heaven. The foliage looks almost exactly like a zygocactus, and the plant is just as easy to start.