Holiday Cactus
In my little greenhouse, I have two shelves of the colorful flowering Holiday Cactus. During the holiday season, these beautiful and unusual plants are sold in about every store. Often when we think of cactus, a hot and dry environment comes to mind. Technically, they are not really cactus. They are epiphytic, originating in rain forests growing above ground, attaching themselves to trees or other surfaces.
Holiday cactus are divided into three main types, Christmas Cactus, Thanksgiving Cactus, and Easter Cactus. Most frequently, the ones sold during the holidays are called Christmas Cactus, but are really Thanksgiving Cactus. The three are differentiated by the shape of their leaves.
They enjoy bright light, but not full sun. Be careful not to over-water and rot the roots. The plants can live long lives, and some have lived to be over 100 years old, handed down from one generation to another! You can place them outside during the spring and summer and fertilize them. Stop fertilizing in the fall and winter. For them to re-bloom they need at least 10 to 12 hours of darkness in the fall and cooler temps at night. During this time reduce watering until you see flower buds forming and then resume regular watering.
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Many times, after they have bloomed, stores deeply reduce the price of Holiday cactus. I’ve gotten some great deals and don’t always know what color the flower will be, but that is part of the fun!
Kalanchoe
Kalanchoe is an easy to grow houseplant with thick waxy scalloped leaves. It is often sold in flower during the winter months. Since it is a succulent, it is a durable plant that needs little maintenance. The flowers are in shades of red, magenta, pink, orange, yellow and white. The double flowering varieties are especially beautiful. I very much like the Kalanchoe with striking variegated leaves.
Keep the plant in a sunny location and be careful not to over-water. Fertilize once a month. The plant can become spindly in low light conditions.
Like the Poinsettia, Kalanchoe likes cooler temps and long hours of darkness in the fall to re-bloom. In the past, I made the mistake of growing Kalanchoe under grow lights attached to a timer and did not allow the plant to have 14 to 16 hours of darkness to form flower buds.
I have several varieties of Kalanchoe and for Christmas my mom gave me one with vivid red flowers! It is a nice little plant and with some extra care it will bloom during the holidays for years to come!
Please listen to my podcasts, ‘In the Garden with Rick,’ at DimpleTimes.com In future podcasts, we will be discussing Holiday plants in greater detail.