True Christmas Cactus Schlumbergera x buckleyi
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Epiphyllum × buckleyi
- Phonetic Spelling
- shlum-BER-ger-uh BUK-lee-eye
- Description
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Christmas Cactus is an artificial hybrid container grown houseplant with showy blooms from November until mid-February. Its blooms droop down toward the ground and the stem segments are flattened with scalloped edges. This cactus is rarely for sale. Often times the plant you will find for sale is Thanksgiving Cactus S. truncata even though it is labeled as a Christmas Cactus.
Quick ID
- Cladophylls with 2-3 crenations
- Leaves inconspicuous
- Flowers with elongated tube, anthocyanin hues
- Flowers weakly oblique at apex
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Houseplants, Succulents, and Cacti", a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Schlumbergera
- Species:
- buckleyi
- Family:
- Cactaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Epiphyte
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Houseplant
- Perennial
- Succulent
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Rounded
- Weeping
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- 12 inches-3 feet
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Winter
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- Tepals
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Seasonal bloomer. Flowers are slightly zygomorphic, anthocyanin-pigmented (usually purple, lavender, pink or white). The tube ispurpl elongated, weakly oblique; tepals spreading to recurved, of varying lengths. Stamens inserted on the tube. The flowers hang down.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are inconspicuous to lacking. They are represented by setaceous, short hairs from areoles between crenations. See stem information.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Flattened stem segments with scalloped edges are tear drop shape. Each cladode is lightly serrate on the margins, distinguishing it from other species, and have areoles at the tips where the flowers emerge.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Dry Soil
