Christmas cactus are great for hanging baskets on the porch, etc. Mine is still outside the front door in a sheltered location, and it hasn't frozen (yet). But I do think they are light sensitive when it comes to setting blooms. After they have flowered, I believe you are supposed to let them dry out a bit and keep them somewhere that street lights, etc, don't shine on them. (Others will know more about this than I do.) I know they seem to thrive on neglect, but I'm most happy to learn that they are fairly cold-tolerant. I don't think they would like direct afternoon sunlight, but again, others may have different experiences. I've always kept mine on a covered porch.

Can't help ya with the others. Have never tried them.

Marcia

I have several xmas cactus and epiphyllums. I keep them in indirect light on the screened in patio. It has a solid roof on it. I plant them in a mix of orchid bark, potting soil, and perlite,with a little bone meal mixed in. They need to be well drained. You can plant them in plastic pots/hanging baskets or clay pots, or even clay orchid pots and use the wire hangers. I have some in both. The clay ones dry out quicker than the plastic. I let it dry out a little between watering but the clay seem to need it every day when they are actively growing. Here it is fairly humid which they like. If it is dry they appreciate being misted once during the day.
During the winter months after they bloom they need to rest so are easy to care for. I leave mine out down to freezing temps on the patio but put a sheet over them. If it goes under freezing I bring them in. My xmas cactus stay outdoors and get light from the solar garden lights at night and bloomed twice a year sometimes. So I don't think total darkness is a necessity.
Here is a good link to epi culture. Use the pull down menu on the right to access the different topics.

Here is a link that might be useful: epi culture

I keep mine outdoors all year, except for the two weeks or so that they bloom. I have found that they tend to get washed out if they get too much direct sunlight. I also water them indifferently. I have found that the only time porch lights interfere with blooming is if they get that extra light after about the first day of November. Mine really like long dark nights in November and December to set blooms and they bloom like crazy!

Thanks for information! I'm definitely going to give them a try. I'll just need to make sure the porch light is off in fall.

sultry-jasmine, have you purchased anything from that place? They have a huge selection.

Bill

Hi Bill, I keep Christmas Cactus and epiphyllums under my Pergola year round. They happily bloom there!
{{gwi:780645}}From Garden Jan-Dec 09

oooo, that is soo pretty! I hope I can someday achieve a similar look on my porch/patio. Thanks for the pic!

Bill, yes I have purchased from there a few times. I got nice healthy cuttings and they even sent me a free one of another variety. They also sent photos of what the bloom looks like with ea of the varieties that I ordered, which I thought was nice. I think they have more in stock during the spring than they do now. I am looking forward to when they list thier dragon fruit (hylocereus undatus) cuttings for sale.

There are a few ebay sellers that I know of that are reputable too. I am sort of picky who I buy epies from because they can take so long to bloom from a cutting.

This is a great forum site to learn all about epies, rhipsalis, hoyas etc. as well.

Here is a link that might be useful: epi forums

Cindeea, I love your picture of your Christmas cactus and the arrangement you have there!

Thanks, Sultry Jasmine. I had no idea these plants had such a following. I'll check out that forum.

Bill

Mine are outside in the semi shade and stay out unless freezing temps are indicated. It is dark at night where they are. They bloom after they have had a few cooler nights in December. Watered when I do the other plants.

If a branch breaks I just stick it in the dirt and have found the pieces will bloom within a year or two.

Thanks for your comments!! My Pergola 'chair' is a favorite spot of mine. I have tons of bromeliad babies, orchids, hoyas, cacti under the pergola and a bubbler fountain in the front. I leave the throw-away chair there so I make myself sit, rest, relax and smell the flowers. Bill, I meant to tell you, I love the Coir lined baskets for cacti and orchids. Hanging above the fountain keeps them moist without being wet and the baskets are light and easy to move. Toward the back I have two more baskets of red, white, purple and fuschia epiph orchid cactus and the bloom there profusely. I will post a pic for you when in bloom. The pergola roof is slanted boards/slats that difuse direct sunlight and is strong enough to stand on. Dennis built it and he uses it to get up on high part of the roof without having to use a tall ladder.

I have one from a cutting from my Mom. It is almost red in color and blooming again for me.

When I lived in Orlando I had several Christmas Cacti hanging in trees in the backyard. Only bringing them into the garage for slumber parties on freeze threatening nights. lol

I think they are very easy to care for. I have two, one with white blooms and on with red that I keep in partial shade on the back porch. I have never had to move them inside and I have never done anything to protect them from freeze. As the other people said, they need total darkness at night in order to get flowers.

This is an old picture of the one I bought at HD at Christmas. It's hanging on a shepards hook in front of my kitchen window under an overhang.(shade) The kitchen light is always on until 11pm. It must've liked that cold spell.
It's now putting out another flush of buds!

I'm so envious with those blooms. My Christmas Cactus hangs in the Gazebo all year and it is blooming now, but it is not as lush as what you all have. It's growing in a potting mixture for cactus but the soil is very compacted and I don't know why. What is your secret?

Regina

Coffeemom, That looks like mine...except mine is alot smaller. Wow!!! Yours is awesome!!!

Beautiful pictures! Coffemom, just curious - what is that bush behind it? Is it False Aralia?

OMG tropicalfreak, don't make me say size does matter! LOL

Yes, I think it's a false aralia in need of a serious trimming.

regina, my secret is I bought it this past Christmas. If it looks this good at the end of 09, then I'll have bragging rights. I'll try the puglver hide it in a tree method. All my others bit the dust after a year.

has anyone tried growing epi's in trees?

nice place Cindee!...if you must relax! hehe
Great CC Coffeemom & Puglvr...impressive.

This one has been growing in the shade on the north side of the house. It is now in the shade house but may need to be moved when it gets too hot/bright in the SH. I didn't give it any winter protection and it looks fine.
this was taken a couple of months ago
{{gwi:474166}}

Now you got me "blushing" lol

Ours stays out on the screened porch, it really doesn't get any special care other than Osmocote and liquid fertilizer once in a while. This pic was at Christmas. I did bring it in the house on the couple nights it was in the 30's, otherwise this is where it stays. I think I'm going to repot it this month.

Laura, your epi is so cool...I might have to try and find one of those, are they easy to take care of? Similar to Hoyas or CC? Thanks!

Beautiful AuntieJan!! Cute kitty, too...

Regine, your soil might have a lot of peat in it, that might be why its so compacted...Peat is notorious for that. When I got mine Christmas '07, I repotted it right after it finished blooming. I added a lot of pine bark fines, turface and very coarse silica sand (Al's Mix) from the container forum. Mine drains very well, so the soil doesn't stay wet, seems to like it when the soil doesn't stay wet.

Thanks on both counts, Miss Snickers is a fiesty little thing and along with her brother an endless source of entertainment! :O)

I think I'll make some starter plants for the Deland Swap in April.

puglvr-Rhipsalis eliptica-easier to grow than hoya. It gets ignored a lot. I will say that when hit by the cold it blasted the little blooms.

WOW Laura, look at all the buds on that baby! Can you get a close up of the flower? It sure is different.

Aunty-lovely plant and Kitty.

Coffee-Mama that is a beautiful cactus...keep it blooming!

where is MsMarion with her White one?

Tropicalfreak

OOHH I wanna see the white one too! :O)