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Christmas Cactus in the GardenTags plant encyclopedia

Schlumbergera x buckleyi

 

Christmas Cactus

The Buckleyi Group sports stem segments with rounded, symmetrical teeth and flowers which hang down, below the horizontal. They generally flower later than members of the Truncata Group and are more likely to be called Christmas Cactus.

 
plant Features
  • Christmas Cactus likes full sun to partial shade

    Full sun to partial shade

  • Christmas Cactus likes very little water

    Very little water

  • Christmas Cactus is not frost hardy

    Not Frost hardy

  • Christmas Cactus likes rich and free draining

    Rich and free draining

 
plant information

Common name

Christmas Cactus

Latin name

Schlumbergera x buckleyi

type

Flowering plant

family

Cactaceae

ph

5.0 - 7.0 Acid - Neutral

  • Light

    Christmas Cactus likes full sun to partial shade

    Full sun to partial shade

  • Frost

    Christmas Cactus is not frost hardy

    Not Frost hardy

  • Soil

    Christmas Cactus likes rich and free draining

    Rich and free draining

  • Water

    Christmas Cactus likes very little water

    Very little water

Plant & bloom calendar

  •  
    Best time to plant
  •  
    When the plant will bloom

full grown dimensions

The size of a fully grown Christmas Cactus is 0.80meters x 0.60meters 0.80 M 0.60 M

Schlumbergera x buckleyi

The Buckleyi Group sports stem segments with rounded, symmetrical teeth and flowers which hang down, below the horizontal. They generally flower later than members of the Truncata Group and are more likely to be called Christmas Cactus.


Planting - Growing medium

From Early Spring TO Late Summer

Free-draining, humus-rich, somewhat acid growing media are used, such as a mixture of peat or leafmould and an inert material such as grit, sharp sand or polystyrene beads. It is recommended that plants should be grown in relatively small pots; half-height pots are suitable.

 

Propogation by cuttings

From Early Spring TO Early Winter

In the home, propagation can be achieved by using short pieces of stem, one to three segments long, twisted off rather than cut. Cuttings are allowed to dry for 1–7 days, forming a callus at the broken end, and then rooted in an open growing medium. Temperatures above 21 °C (70 °F) and up to 27 °C (81 °F) in long day/short night conditions speed rooting.

 

Flowering Season

From Early Winter TO Late Winter

Schlumbergera Truncata produces flowers in a range of colours during the winter months. Day length is important in controlling flowering; continuous darkness for at least 12 hours is necessary to induce bud formation. A period of about 8 days with 16 hours of darkness at 16 °C (61 °F) has been shown to cause flower buds to form. Lower temperatures slow this process.

 
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