Who wouldn't like a plant that requires very little care (these haven't been re potted in 15 years, and get watered sporadically.) and cover themselves each year with bright exotic flowers?
In a little room upstairs, these are blooming their heads off.
To see the story about how these came to live with me many years ago and why I have a sentimental attachment to them, click
here.
For a very funny and highly informative article about them, check out Mr. Subjunctive's post
here on his blog, "Plants are the Strangest People." His article also gives the reason why we don't see offered in the trade the more rounded-leaved, Christmas-blooming Schlumbergeras that many of us remember from our childhoods.
Just this evening, I was shopping for Thanksgiving and decided that the salmon and pink Schlumbergeras needed a new friend. Here it is waiting on the back stairs to go up and join its new friends.
I'm joining with Loree at Danger Garden in posting my favorite plant...this week. Click
here to see other bloggers' favorites this week.
I love your blog and today's made me think of my Grandmother who had the biggest Christmas cactus I've ever seen. It would be so nice to have a plant start from hers. I love how you use pieces from your family at Thanksgiving time,it feels so special. I wish I had linen table cloths for our Thanksgiving table I love how they (you may want to rethink about ironing them )set the stage for all of the other pieces. Happy early Thanksgiving to you and your family. Thank you for your wonderful blog I hope we get to meet someday.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the kind words! It's nice to know that people enjoy looking at my pictures and ramblings. Plants that remind us of dear people are all the more special. Happy early Thanksgiving to you and yours as well! I'd love to meet you someday. We could go nursery hopping!
DeleteThe story of your Thanksgiving tradition is wonderful. Can it really be more than two years I've been enjoying your blog?
ReplyDeleteThe blooms are so pretty, mine is still forming buds so it should bloom in December.
It seems like just yesterday that I started posting but it'll be three years in June. Time flies when you're having a good time and making new blogging friends!
DeleteI used to have a big round-leaved Christmas cactus that belonged to my mother for many years. I managed to get it to bloom once, but after that it never really thrived. I've had others off and on over the years, but they just don't do well for me, I don't know why. They do produce such pretty flowers.
ReplyDeleteYou must try again, Alison. Mr. Subjunctive has another post on growing Schlumbergera. He makes it sounds as easy as it is.
DeleteI agree with Jean because she's always right. After reading Mr. Subjunctive's post, I found some round leafed Christmas cactus cuttings on Ebay and bought one. I look forward to rooting it and sharing cuttings with friends as it grows!
DeleteMarvelous post about one of my favorite plants too. A white is about to bloom here, others are in various stages and I brought into the house a small red one that has an open bloom.
ReplyDeleteI have decided to not think about trying to find pink Christmas cactus with round leaves like Mama grew, just treasure the memory of that one. It sat by my bed during the coldest nights.
This Thanksgiving and Christmas I'll think about Miss Trudy, who sent me huge cuttings from 5 different colors AND an Easter Cactus. I still root every little piece that breaks off and sometimes give one away in bloom. Trudy died this fall.
I thought of you and your beautiful collection when I decided to make this my favorite plant this week!
DeleteSometimes a memory is as sweet as having the actual thing. If you're interested, I found cuttings for sale on Ebay and got one. I look forward to it rooting and growing so that I can start sharing it!
What a wonderful memory of a generous gardener you have to attach to your blooms! Miss Trudy sounds like she was a very kind person, God rest her soul.
No buds on the one you gave me. Guess this is just not its year...
ReplyDeleteThey like to be a bit pot bound before they start putting out blooms so it might take a couple of years from cutting to bloom.
DeleteTiny buds decorate my cacti. Maybe it will bloom by Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI re-read your older Thanksgiving post and realized the most cherished thing at the dinner table is always love. When I visited my mom in her retirement home recently, I adopt a leaf that fell off a cacti. Sitting at my window, it set root and started growing new leafs. I think it's wonderful that gardeners connects the past with the future through plants.
The only problem with sentimental plants is that it's much harder to let them go if the plant collection needs to be reduced.
DeleteThis is just about the only house plant I really love. But I didn't know that the Christmas-bloomers aren't sold any more. That's said, especially since I always think of these plants as "Christmas Cactus".
ReplyDeleteIt is a sweet house plant and gives a welcome dose of color when things outside are looking fairly bleak. I found cuttings of Christmas Cacti on Ebay so they're still out there but not at most nurseries.
DeleteI loved your story about the christmas cactus, and your collection looks so healthy and beautiful. Although I don't grow it now, I did when I first started gardening. Maybe I can try and pick up a plant and grow it again, love the red variety. Best wishes and have a wonderful weekend Peter.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karen! Are these hardy for you outside? I wish you a wonderful weekend too!
DeleteYou are known for your humor, but you do sentiment well.
ReplyDeleteWhy thank you, Rickii! It just gathers there at the bottom of the pond. Oh...you said sentiment, not sediment.
DeleteIt's such a classic houseplant and glad to see it doing and blooming so well for you :)
ReplyDeleteIt's one of those pass along plants that people enjoy sharing with others. While I love new and exciting plants, there's something special about a plant that's traveled across the street and across the wold in friends' hands and baggage.
DeleteThanks for sharing your personal story about this plant, as well as the informative link. My own hot pink Schlumbergera, acquired when we cleared my mother-in-law's house last year after her passing, bloomed like crazy late last November and is following suit this year. It's the nicest kind of remembrance.
ReplyDeleteA special remembrance indeed! Such cheerful and bright blooms.
DeleteWhile I don't know them by that exotic latin name, my Christmas cactus, which are really Thanksgiving cactus, are also blooming their heads off. They love it in the formal dining room, where it is colder and darker than the part of the house we actually live in.
ReplyDeleteThey do like it a bit on the cool side. Glad to hear that yours are blooming beautifully!
DeleteNice! I don't think I've seen the white ones before.
ReplyDeleteThere is also a yellow color that I haven't seen in stores but have seen available online.
DeleteYour Christmas or Thanksgiving Cactus are beautiful and they come with so many memories. I have a couple that we keep in the conservatory which is kept frost free and they seem to like it there as they flower so well each year.
ReplyDeletePlants given by special people will always be special to you, they are the best sort of plants.
They seem to like it a bit cooler than room temperature. I've ordered a couple of unusual ones that perhaps will live in the greenhouse.
DeleteSentiment endears many things!
Your cacti look great, all blooming at the same time! I have my pale magenta pink Thanksgiving cactus photos on my blog this week too. I think my other one is red, but it hasn't bloomed yet. My MIL had a huge one that put on quite a show. People will persist in calling them Christmas cacti...
ReplyDeleteThey'e a fun bunch of plants whenever they bloom! Seems like everyone grew up with someone who grew this plant.
DeleteInteresting link and great photos. I like the bold colors and festive feel.
ReplyDeleteThe bold colors are particularly nice at this time of year when the color outside is fading.
DeleteHi Peter, these plants grow outside over here, I almost picked one up on the weekend, but there was no colour specification. A neighbour had one growing in a semi-shaded spot in a hanging pot for quite a few years, it didn't seem to flower a great deal though.
ReplyDeleteIt's incredible the plants that you can grow outside, not to mention all of your spectacular natives which we prize here. Hope you had a great weekend!
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