Gardening Page

Low-Maintenance, Winter Blooming Holiday Cacti Are Gift That Keep On Giving

KELLY ALLSUP

URBANA, ILLINOIS

   With their vibrant, floral displays and low-maintenance needs, holiday cacti are a great holiday gift. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter cactus are each different species. They bloom reliably each year without much upkeep.

   “Every December, one plant in my office comes to life despite the minimal care it receives,” says Kelly Allsup, University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator. “The plant has remained in the 6- inch pot for nine years now, receives water when it is dry, and has been used prolifically in propagation workshops for Master Gardeners.”

   Holiday cacti are easily distinguished by the stem margins as well as timing of flowering. These cacti don't have true leaves; instead, they have flattened stem segments that are used in propagation to grow new plants.

   Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator Jenifer Fishburn says holiday cacti are the gift that keep on giving.

   "They are often passed down from generation to generation as family heirlooms because they are so long-lived,” Fishburn says.

Thanksgiving cactus, Schlumbergera truncate, has two to four saw- toothed projections resembling crab claws. Flowers are produced from late November to late December. Flower colors include white, red, lavender, salmon, orange, and yellow.

“Thanksgiving cacti are often forced into bloom and sold at Christmas time, and are often misnamed Christmas cacti," Fishburn says.

   Christmas cactus, Schlumbergera x buckleyi, has scalloped or rounded stem margins. Flowers are generally showy from late December through March. The flowers form at the tips of segments.

   Easter cactus, Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri, has four to six rounded teeth along the stem edges and brownish hairs at the leaf tips. Flowers in shades of pink or red flowers appear March through May. Easter cactus may re-bloom.

   Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti blooms are triggered by day length. 

   They bloom when they receive 12 to 15 hours of darkness a day for five to six weeks and are exposed to cool night temperatures.

   Holiday cacti are commonly used to demonstrate propagation because leaf cuttings, rather than stem cuttings, can be used to generate new plants. However, cacti do not have true leaves. The leaves are actually stems called cladophylls.

   Despite being a cactus, these plants are native to the tropical rain forest and are watered regularly with other houseplants. Water cacti when the top inch of soil is dry to the touch.

   To gift holiday cacti, look for 4, 6, and 8-inch pots at garden centers. Find a decorative container with a hole in the bottom of the same size. Remember these cacti are long-lived and can thrive in this pot for the next 15 years.

   When transporting cacti, wrap and bag plants to prevent exposure to cold temperatures as the buds will be severely damaged by time spent outside.

   Holiday cacti can bloom profusely for a month or two and may even bloom twice a year. While in bloom, use cacti as decoration, keep them away from heat sources, and water regularly.

As a houseplant, place in front of a window and water regularly. In the summer, these tropical houseplants can go outside in a partially shaded area. Between April and October, fertilize every four weeks with a complete houseplant fertilizer. ∆

   KELLY ALLSUP: Horticulture Educator, Illinois Extension

Deck The Halls With Proper Caution

 Mistletoe pixabay.com

LINDA GEIST

COLUMBIA, MISSOURI

   For many, the holiday season would not be complete without evergreens, holly, mistletoe and other traditional plants adorning their homes.

   But it’s important to exercise care with some of these plants since we want the holidays to be happy and safe, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.

   “In days of old, people rarely brought holiday greenery into the home before Christmas Eve,” Trinklein says. Doing so was considered bad luck for the coming year. Today, however, the holiday season starts with Thanksgiving and lasts through New Year’s Day.

   “When it comes to greenery, freshness is important since aged, dry material becomes more of a fire hazard,” he says.

   Plant material brought home at the beginning of the season is likely to dry by Jan. 1. While relatively fresh greenery might be available from a local retail outlet, Trinklein says, “the very freshest greenery comes from one’s own landscape and should be used whenever possible.”

   Whatever the source of greenery, Trinklein advises placing cut ends in water. If your greenery came from a retail outlet, re-cut the stems first. Keep the plant material in the coolest place possible until it is time to move it indoors. Freezing temperatures will not harm the greenery, but unfrozen water should be available to the stems at all times during storage.

   Keep stems in water after moving them into the home. Design decorations so branches fit into a container that holds water. 

   Trinklein suggests adding floral preservatives such as those used for cut flowers. Change the preservative solution weekly.

   Don’t place greenery near hot air ducts, radiators or other heat sources. Never put decorations with greenery near fireplaces, where sparks from an open flame might ignite them.

   Some traditional plants contain toxic compounds that might pose a health risk if ingested, Trinklein says. For example, the red berries of holly are considered mildly poisonous and can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea if ingested. Children and pets often are attracted to these bright berries. Keep holly well out of the reach of youngsters and make sure any berries that might fall from the decoration won’t land where they can be retrieved by a child or pet.

   The leaves, bark and seeds of the common evergreen yew shrub are considered toxic. The yew’s small red fruit might be attractive to children. The pulp of the fruit is harmless, but the seeds can be quite toxic.

   Mistletoe should be used with extreme care. Both American and European types are highly toxic. “This is a case where purchasing artificial plant material might be safest if mistletoe is a must-have in your holiday decor,” Trinklein says. If using fresh mistletoe, wrap it with plastic so leaves and berries won’t fall to the floor.

   Other plants associated with the holiday season that produce toxic substances include English ivy, whose leaves contain a toxic compound; juniper, which produces slight amounts of a diuretic compound in its seeds; and white cedar, whose leaves produce an essential oil that is considered toxic. However, poisonings from this latter group are extremely rare due to relatively low levels of toxic agents in these plants. ∆

   LINDA GEIST: University of Missouri