X mas cactus buds!

16 years ago

I brought this guy in from outdoors a week ago, and it is already setting buds! I think it's going to be more of a Thanksgiving cactus than an Xmas cactus, huh? I'm excited to see what color the flowers may be, since I bought this one in pretty bad shape on a clearance shelf ($1.50!) back in February.

sorry for the blurry photo...you may have to get out the magnifying glass to see the buds!

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Comments (11)

trace00969
16 years ago
I cant see anything, what should I be looking for? I have one too that has never set bud, so I am curious to see what the buds look like. Can you take a closer pic?

Thanks

Tracy
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birdsnblooms
16 years ago
Pep, I see the little buds..yep, they're small, but normal for this time of yr..You know, once you bring a CC inside, those buds grow faster...is there any way you can leave outside a bit longer? I keep mine out till the first frost..When temps hit 33-34F degrees..
Like you, I find Christmas cactus flower by or before Thanksgiving, even though they were purchased during Christmas and blooming..So, I'm sure they're Christmas cactus, but due to the heat when brought indoors, they bloom ealier.

Tracy, look at the right side of Pep's Christams Cactus..on the tips of stems/leaves, you'll find little buds..This reminds me of the kids books, 'Can you find the picture?' LOL..Toni
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User
16 years ago
Hi Pepp,

Congrats, on yr. new plant & its buds (the pic's not blurry to me).

Warning, pls. don't move the plant now that the buds have started. Moving it or even turning it in place can cause it to lose the buds. Good luck & maybe show us a pic when the blooms open (probably in a couple of wks). Enjoy!!

Yes Trace, Toni's right, the baby buds are those little ball-like looking things on the tips of the leaves, one in lower right hand corner & a pair together towards the upper right corner.
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GrowHappy
16 years ago
How exciting! I keep checking for buds on mine, but it's not cold enough yet. The warm weather keeps lingering.

You definitely have a Thanksgiving Cactus, not a christmas cactus. The true christimas cactus(Schlumbergera Buckleyi) have smooth scalloped edges and pendant flowers. The thanksgiving cactus(Schlumbergera Truncata) have crab claw edges like yours. Both have very pretty flowers!

Also, cold temperatures can change the bloom color from white to pink(blush) or yellow to pink. It can be very alarming to have one bloom one color this year and a different color the next!
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trace00969
16 years ago
Okay, I think I see buds, it's hard to see as I have never seen them before up close. Thanks for pointing them out......so if this is a thanksgiving cactus, it will naturally bloom earlier than a true Christmas cactus?

Tracy
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pepperomia
Original Author
16 years ago
GH, thanks for the info!

Toni, no I can't really put it outside any longer - it's going down into the mid-thirties some nights here, even though it's still near 70 each day. Plus, now that it's budding, I can't move it anyway, right? LOL!

I'll post another pic when the flowers open.
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birdsnblooms
16 years ago
Pep, right..Karen's 100% correct..they shouldn't be moved, rotated, after buds form..Oh now I'm getting excited, hope mine bud..LOL..gotta hide them from the squirrels otherwise they eat everything, roots and all..

Pep, how warm is the room they're in now? What about sun?
One thing I'm unsure of..some books say to feed while budding and blooming, while others say don't..just water. Which is correct? I know after blooms fade, they're to go dormant, but how do we care for them from budding until bloom? Thanks, Toni
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User
16 years ago
Well you all are way ahead of me, mine is a New Year's Cactus (that's when it blooms every yr), last yr. it also bloomed in Feb. I gave it coffee all yr, don't know if that made the 2nd blooming.

Anyway, from budding to bloom, I continue regular watering but don't fertilize. Maybe now, just a shot of some E VF-11 (see Hoya Forum).
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pepperomia
Original Author
16 years ago
follow up shots:

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trace00969
16 years ago
I see them now.....lol. I cant wait till you post pics of it in bloom.....**wink** **wink** Now I am going to run and check mine for buds.....I think mine is a schlumbergera, so I might have to wait a bit longer.

Thanks for sharing more pics

Tracy
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ines_99
16 years ago
Mine are budding up too, seems to happen overnight - still a few weeks before I will bring them in, though.
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X mas cactus buds!

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