Schlumbergera
Common Name(s):
- Description
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Schlumbergera is the Christmas cactus genus of the Cactaceae family. It is native to Brazil and is technically an epiphyte that grows in rainforests. It has fleshy stems and showy leaves and grows well as a houseplant, preferring moisture but adapting to a variety of home environments. One plant can live for over a hundred years, so a well-cared for specimen will brighten your living space for decades to come.
Quick ID:
- Segmented stems (cladodes) that may have serrate or crenate margins
- Areoles at the tips where flowers and/or hairs emerge
- Zygomorphic flowers at the stem tips in shades of pink, red, and white
VIDEO Created by Laura Barth 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:
- S. gaertneri, S. rosea, S. russelliana, S. truncata, S. x buckleyi
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
- S. gaertneri, S. rosea, S. russelliana, S. truncata, S. x buckleyi
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Schlumbergera
- Family:
- Cactaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Epiphyte
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Houseplant
- Perennial
- Succulent
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Rounded
- Weeping
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Cultural Conditions:
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Red/Burgundy
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Winter
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- Tepals
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Bilaterally symmetrical flowers emerge from areoles at the ends of the stems. The "petals" are actually tepals and are brightly colored and showy. Depending on the species, they bloom between early winter and early spring.
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Leaves:
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- What appear to be leaves are actually the segmented stem.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Segmented stems that branch into a "Y" shape. Each cladode may be serrate or crenate on the margins and have areoles at the tips where the flowers or hairs emerge.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
