Which Do You Have?
A post by Noah Seidenberg prompted me to find out more on this subject about my cactus. A couple of years ago I was given a beautiful cactus plant by one of my Thanksgiving dinner guests. It was covered in white blooms at the time. My friend told me it was not a Christmas Cactus but a Thanksgiving Cactus and that there is a difference. I thought she was being clever since it was in bloom on Thanksgiving Day.
I had never heard such a thing but did notice it bloomed last Thanksgiving and again this Thanksgiving. I have done some research and want to share what I have discovered.
There are two cactus plants (truncates) that bloom around the holidays and are often confused with one another. The most common one is the Thanksgiving Cactus. Even florist mislabel then and sell them as Christmas Cacti.
You may have one in your home that is in full bloom now and think that your plant is confused. It is not. The Thanksgiving Cactus has a larger bloom and jagged, pointed leaves. The Christmas Cactus has smooth-edged leaves and smaller blooms.
What I also read is that the blooms are triggered by the shorter daytime hours of October and November. You can trick your cactus into blooming by putting it in a dark closet for 12 hours each day for about 3 weeks. This should do the trick if you aren't seeing signs it wants to bloom. You can read more here.
The Christmas Cactus is more rare and is not in boom yet. Which do you have?
Happy Thanksgiving to you.
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