In my experience the christmas cactus is a bit trickier to grow, but not as much as the wild species and definitely not so difficult that it could not be mass-produced or get a bad reputation. I think the main reasons why they aren't mass-produced are:

1. It flowers later than the thanksgiving type, maybe people are reluctant to buy a similar plant just a few weeks after the first?

2. With its smaller growth and pendant flowers it is less impressive than the thanksgiving cactus. The latter also has a wider range of bright, intense flower colors.

(Just my own guesses)

Below is probably the website you want to read to tell the differences between them. As far as I know I've never seen the true Christmas Cactus offered for sale in any of the stores. I have seen them on Ebay(most cuttings) offered this time of year.

Here is a link that might be useful: Differences between the CC, TC and EC

Christmas cactuses make the best long-term houseplants. To get them to re-bloom next year, decrease moisture to almost nothing after they finish flowering and trim the stem ends. Move them outdoors into a shady spot from June until frost is predicted. Once theyÂre back indoors, keep them fairly dry and cool until they bloom again, then increase watering. If your plants have scalloped stems instead of stem margins with pointed projections, donÂt expect them to re-bloom for Christmas. They are Easter cactuses.

Great info, thanks for the link puglvr. There seems to be similarities in the availability of many different types of plants. In collecting African violets I have found very few business sell violets and then only some of the types available. Most of the different types of violets are in private collections. I have had a lot of fun trading violet leafs over the years. Can you recommend some sources for cc, tc and ec. Thanks Dustin

I have only seen the true CC offered on Ebay or private trades. The TC's you should be able to find in the big box stores or some local nurseries in your area. Also a few online stores like "Whitton's Greenhouse", I did order from them but their cut off date for ordering was
Oct. 31, I think you might be able to order again next spring? You can email and check...

Below is a link for an online store that has a red EC, I think they also carry a couple of TC?

Here is a link that might be useful: Accents for home...EC

puglvr1 , that's an interesting link . I had no idea there were three different types . I thought the three names were the same plant . I wonder how many others are in the same boat as me ? LOL

So that is why you used "holiday cactus" as a synonym for thanksgiving cactus? As I understand it holiday cactus is a collective term for all three.

-20 deg and 2 feet of snow. This is the time of the year to shop. Orders are placed for spring shipment.
Yes there is lots of tc in the stores now but all are noid plants. I would like to know what I have and also try some cc.

Bamboo turtles, I used to think the same thing till I saw someone posted that link a few years ago...while doing some old searches on here. Norma just posted it very recently. It's a good link.

Tjicken, yes that's the way I understand it...Holiday cactus as a collective name(for all).

Dustin...Whitton nursery has some of the named varieties email and ask when you can order for spring. I got 5(2") with four different colors. Since I didn't want 4 different pots...I decided to pot them up in a 5"pot and have a multi color one. So far its working out well.

Here is a link that might be useful: Whitton Greenhouses

I bought a true Schlum at a Wal Mart about 6 years ago. I haven't seen any since. It seems to be easier for me to grow than a couple of the "thanksgiving cacti" that I have. It is more tolerant of cold and bright sun. It also seems to be easier to cross with other plants. I like having it because it extends the bloom time nicely. This is a clone of the original plant.

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Hi aseed, Lucky you finding the true CC at Walmart no less. Its beautiful!! I've never seen them offered anywhere where I live. I was lucky enough to get one on a trade, hopefully I will get blooms next year? Good to hear that they are easier to grow for you, hopefully I will have the same experience with mine. Thanks for sharing your picture.

I gave away a lot of cuttings from the mother plant fall 2008, could it have been then? Whenever you got your cuttings, they might bloom the first year lightly, but then the second year look out! good luck!

Looking good. I hope mine developes that well. Mine has a red border, I haen't seen the flowers yet. The borders of the leaves are entire. They don't have the spiky leaves. Pirate Girl gave you a good link, I hope all of you use it. That came from a Porch and Garden Magazine. Which are very old, and if you see them for sale on Graigs List, get them. Norma

My Christmas Cactus is covered with buds!
I might even have blooms for Christmas this year. The 1.5 year old plants that I rooted from cuttings are also beginning to set buds....much faster than I expected!

Josh

Can't wait to see it when they open Josh, congrats!! Please post a pic :o)

xerophyte_nyc

Do you have a picture of the Chanukah cactus? I am curious what it looks like.

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this forum and I have a question on my TC. I just bought my first plant two days ago from a local grocery store. It has pink buds that change to red. Anyway, I wanted to ask if anyone fertilizes their cactus and what kind of fertilizer you use?

These plants are very neat looking and I love the flowers!

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Hi Brad,

FYI: there's a nice FAQ in Holiday cacti. Also, while I don't know how to provide a link, there's a great one that's been offered in nearby threads lately on Holiday cacti.

Generally, I fertilize these only from Spring through Fall (to about October) when they're in most active growth. One stops fertilizing preparatory to their blooming in late fall. I use whatever fertilizer I've got around, sometimes 20-20-20, once in a while some Acid-loving fertilizer (they're not too fussy).

If you look back I have provided one, and Pirate Girl actually wrote it out. FAQ doesn show the same link. Christmas Cactus, has leaves that the borders (edges) are entire, not jaggared,

Below everyone's Message box, there are two additional spaces:

Optional Link URL: __________________________

Name of the Link: ___________________________

To provide a link, you simply put the address of the link into the first box.
For example, the following is the address of this very Thread:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/cacti/msg1201114924732.html?20

(Now, I'll also paste this address into the Optional Link URL below).

Then, I'll type the name of the link/page in the second box.

Press, "Preview Message," and your link should be active.

Josh

Here is a link that might be useful: christmas cactus vs thanksgiving, holiday cactus

dustin

it was a joke, i was just playing on the "holiday" theme

Finally! One of the flowers is starting to open!

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Josh

This is a christmas cactus.

This is a Thanksgiving cactus.

This is an Easter cactus.

This is a Rose Easter cactus.

I got those pics from the link below. Hope they help!

Here is a link that might be useful: Holiday Cacti

Josh...SWEET!! So Pretty...thanks for posting. Your plant is really very healthy looking and getting really BIG!

Josh that is an AWESOME plant! Good job!

I have two hanging cactus plants that I would like to identify. The plants resemble Christmas etc only one has very large leaves and blooms with tiny little pale yellow blooms all around the leaf at each point. the other has smaller twisted leaf with a yellow bloom at the end of a stem and then a round bulbus growth in it's place. I can take pictures of them as they are now, but lost pictures of the blooms when my computer crashed. Thanks for any help you can give.

Hi Judy,

Just so you know, generally when starting a new question it's best to start a new thread; will yield more answers faster (than an older thread like this).

From the sound of your description, it's not either of these, am guessing it's more an Orchid cactus or Epiphyllum of some kind.

Pix of foliage can be used for ID, bloom is best, but foliage can help ID, so feel free.

The flowers of Epiphyllum (and the hybrids) cannot be described as "tiny". I think they are Rhipsalis or possibly Lepismium. The "bulbous growth" are the fruits.

It is the plant with the large segments that has the tiny blooms. They are all around the leaf at each point. The leaves (segments) on this plant are about 3 1/2 X 5 inches. I have searched the web, but not knowing what it is, i don't know what to look for.
They were both given to me by a friend in Florida. She had just said they were some sort of cactus.
Thanks

Yes, I think TJ is right, I'd try looking up Rhipsalis & then restrict it to Images & try to match your plant. I just tried it & think he's put you on the right path.

Yes, search among the flat-stemmed Rhipsalis like pachyptera, elliptica and russellii, and see if they resemble yours. Identifying Rhipsalis can be challenging even with the plant right in front of you, some photos would be a great aid to at least see if the genus is right.