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Cacti & Succulents

OLD Christmas Cactus....Anyone??

17 years ago

I posted in the heirloom forum this question/issue, then I thought that it might fit here as well. LONG story short. I HAD a 'Christmas Cactus' that was 100 years old. It was my great grandmothers. It was HUGE! Obviously it had been in the family for over 100 years...and it passed to me. LONG story short. It fell off its perch one day over 3 years ago, and broke a huge arm off. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't get any part of it to root. Then one by one, the arms rotted and fell off. And I didnt get a single stem rooted before it finally died. I managed to kill it, after it was in my care for the past 20 years. BUT I cant find any cuttings,or rooted plants of this OLD type of Christmas Cactus. I have plenty of the new ones, as a matter of fact, my new Gold ones, that I have had for 5 years,is in a basket with 3 other colors, bloomed just after Christmas, and is now blooming AGAIN! I am in shock! It didn't put out even 1 new leaf, and the entire basket is in full bloom, all 4 colors,I have never seen this happen! Anyway...I am searching for someone that has the OLD OLD Christmas cactus...not the new hybrid type, it has the long soft slender leaves/stems that hang, not like the new hybrids that stand upright nearly. It had soft pink flowers that hung down, so I am searching for the old type Christmas cactus. I guess it is one of the original ones that all the new hybrids were bred from? I figured more people would see it in THIS forum instead of the 'exchange' section...so before I ask for that...I thought I'd find out if anyone had this plant??? It seems to be VERY hard to find. So..does anyone have it and know how to root it and be willing to help me start my own 'heirloom' Christmas Cactus to pass on in the family? Please?

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Comments (4)

nikkilynn
17 years ago
My grandmother has one I believe and I have 2 segments and I got one to root in my philodendron, it is starting now to shoot another segment. if that helps you at all. please let me know
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floridabear
Original Author
17 years ago
Would your grandmother be willing to trim a few stems off..and maybe you could tell me how you got yours to root?
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Definitely need to see pics, especially of the type of potting mix being used. And, as Ken said, root some cuttings to ensure (in the worst case scenario) that some of this heirloom plant survives. I have done the same with my oldest Christmas Cactus, which is now over 40 years old. Christmas Cactus are Brazillian jungle cacti that are rained on nearly every day, and they should not be kept dry - the mix should be barky, porous, free draining, and should remain uniformly moist for maximum vitality. If the plant hasn't been pruned in quite a while, pruning back the branches will create new growth and budsites where future blooms will occur. Similarly, if it hasn't been repotted or fertilized in a while, this, too, will increase its vitality. Mine still had a few lingering blooms in mid-March.
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nikkilynn
17 years ago
OK I think you are in luck. I am sure that I can get a few stems from her and all I did was stick them in water for about a week and then I stuck one in my new x-mas cactus and the other one in my philodendron and the one in the philo rooted and I am not sure about the one in the cactus cause I can no longer find it LOL! I need to get the one out of my philo but i am chicken. I am still very new to all of this house plant stuff. I have read and heard many times that it is best to root them in a mother plant so that is why i chose the philo cause it is very large.
I hope this helps alittle bit. When the weather gets warm I will ship to you if you would like
Nikki
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floridabear
Original Author
17 years ago
Well to get the one out of the philo. If you want to..just get a very sharp knife and find where it is rooted into the soil and cut out a little 'cube' of soil around it,cut down about 1 inch, and pop it out. Then you can pot it into a pot of its own. You wont hurt the philodendren. That plant is indestructable. IF you 'lost' the other cactus cutting that you put in with your other christmas cactus...does it have the shape of the new hybrids? If it does, then it isnt the old antique type that I am in search of. IF it has the 'claw like' look to the stem, and they stand upright. It is a newer hybrid. The one I am talking about is much smaller,hangs nearly limp,and has smooth sides. OR maybe the one in the christmas cactus pot,didnt root and it rotted? Thats why you cant find it.? Like me. I try to root in soil and it just dissolves and dies. Thus the reason I am in search of this old one. I emailed you in private as well.
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