My one and only bloom for Bloom Day
There are two methods for getting Christmas cactus to bloom. One way is to keep it in total darkness from 6pm to 8am starting September 1st until buds form. The second way is to keep it cool (say 53F) from mid-September to mid-October. (Source: The New York Times Book of House Plants by Joan Lee Faust, 1973, p. 93) Before we insulated our second story, I would always bring my Christmas cactus upstairs to my sunny bedroom until buds formed, and then bring it down to the kitchen to enjoy the show.
In general I am glad that my bedroom is not as cool as it once was, but it no longer induces flowering in this houseplant. I just left it hanging in the kitchen, and discovered that the side of the plant next to the window had formed buds. We still haven’t renovated the first floor, and the windows are uh, old-fashioned–drafty enough to induce budding in the Christmas cactus. When I discovered the buds, I turned the plant around.
Inspired by the words of Elizabeth Lawrence, “We can have flowers nearly every month of the year,” Carol of May Dreams Gardens started Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. On the 15th of every month, garden bloggers from all over the world publish what is currently blooming in their gardens, and leave a link in the Mr. Linky form at May Dreams Gardens.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
lovely quote that inspired the “blogger bloom day.” It may all you have in bloom now, but they are amazing flowers.
Twitter: @ThanksFor2Day
Thanks for the info. on Christmas cactus. I have a hard time with indoor plants due to a cat that eats any that come into the house:( My mom used to have one, as I recall…and it always seemed to bloom and behave properly for her. If kitty ever goes to that big cat-box in the sky, I will definitely try one! Jan
It seems so many houseplants want cooler than comfortable conditions in the winter. That’s one of the things that keeps me from impulsively buying some. I’ve never tried to grow a Christmas cactus.
I have 3 blooming and I did not do anything special, though they are not kept in rooms that I artificially light at night (hardly ever). So I guess they are getting the darkness you mention, more or less.
Twitter: @layanee1
What a lucky find! I do love the white ones. Must pick one up.
Thanks for stopping by, Layanee.
thanks for the all the excellent advice, for use neebies.
After seeing several of these, I’m thinking I want to try this again. I grew one a long time ago, when I was in my twenties. Yours is quite pretty, and thanks for the information.
My Christmas cactus didn’t bloom again this year but, with your advice, I will next year!! Thanks for the post.
Hi Kathy, I have shied away from the Christmas Cactus thinking it might be to tempting for the cat who must eat plants. But they are certainly attractive planting this time of year! There are all manner of pink ones at the big box store this year…but no whites…that would be a nice one. Gail
You more than make up for your single blooming plant by having such a gorgeous photograph. I love the holiday cactuses (cacti?) because they are so dependable and hardy.
Twitter: @liz4flowers
I just blogged about my Christmas Cactus as well. For me the key to getting it to bloom is to put it outside for the summer and leave it there as long as possible in the fall. The cold nights and naturally decreasing sunlight seem to do the trick.
One! I have to go hunt for my blooms now too… I can claim at least one indoor orchid in bloom. It’s going to be tough outside though. Your christmas cactus is beautiful
Christmas cactus is one of my blooms this month, too. Mine is white and I do nothing special to it to get it to bloom. Somehow, it always blooms in December.
Thanks for joining in for bloom day again!
I have a white flowered one, too. It blooms earlier–supposed to be a Thanksgiving cactus. But I didn’t see any blooms on it this year. Is yours in your plant room? Could it be cooler there?