Size Christmas Cactus can grow
This Christmas Cactus is about 8' around and 3 or 4 feet tall...anyone know how big these can get? It's roughly 20 years old......
Comments (38)
User
9 years ago
Crenda 10A SW FL
9 years agoRelated Discussions
Are Christmas Cactus or Easter Cactus Better?
Comments (8)Never seen a CC (Schlumbergera x buckleyii) for sale. For some reason this year, EC's are at BBS's, readily available nationwide. Very cool! By CC, do you mean TC (Schlumbergera truncata - that stores sell 'en masse' during the holidays?) Since they are sold with labels that say "Christmas cactus," it would be natural to call them that, and one really needs the botanical name for comparing these plants. I've had an EC for about 2 years and it has bloomed numerous times, both while outside and inside, which I'm told isn't uncommon. OTOH, going by what I've read in anecdotes on these forums, since I just managed to get a cutting of CC via trade less than a year ago, would rarely bloom more than once per year. For that reason, I'd choose EC, but - why not get both and pot together if space is an issue? However, the link I've included below says TC and CC are supposed to bloom twice per year. Rare is a discussion about that happening, maybe because most peoples' plants need to come inside to much less light, IDK. I couldn't possibly choose between TC and EC, you shouldn't either. Although they are called cacti, know all 3 of these are epiphytic jungle plants, and really don't like bone-drying or baking in intense mid-day sun at all. So... you need 3 plants... Here is a link that might be useful: 3 holiday cacti, care and recognition...See MoreChristmas Cactus Doesn't stop Growing
Comments (13)18 hours of darkness? Now where in the world could they possibly get that naturally? This is of course an old wive's tale. The various holiday cactus are all fairly similar in their requirements to initiate flowering. Cool temperatures somewhere in the range of 50F-60F will initiate flowering regardless of the day (or night) length. These temperatures must be maintained for several weeks. If temperatures rise, early buds may grow as leaves. If temperatures are above 60F, flowers may still be initiated by shortening days. 14 hour nights are sufficient to initiate flowering but shorter nights may also produce buds, sometimes barely longer than 12 hours. Plants grown outside typically initiate buds in about September (northern hemisphere) and then go on to flower in November or December. The requirements for these plants are known precisely because they are so widely produced commercially. Flowering can be initiated almost to the exact day so that plants are available for sale exactly when they are "supposed" to be in flower....See MoreHow can I get my Easter (Sunrise), Christmas, Thanksgiving cactus to
Comments (0)The plants known as Holiday Cactus, Lobster Cactus, Xmas Cactus, Sunrise Cactus, and many other names, belong to several genera of jungle cacti but can generally be treated alike. All are true cactus plants, some have small spines in the aeroles, and the flowers grow on last year's growth. These plants are generally segmented and flat, and roots form between the segments for easy propagation. These plants come from the jungles of Central and South America and therefore cannot store water like their cousins from the deserts can. Instead, they rely on almost daily rains, and enter a semi-dormancy period when the short dry season comes. For most of the species concerned, this dry season occurs in the short-day period so that the combination of short days and cooler nights leaves these plants drier but not dessicated. The soils of these usually epiphytic plants consists of decayed leaves, insects, pieces of bark, etc., generally anything the wind or birds leave in the crotches of the trees or on the ground below. In cultivation, the stone/gravel/sand mix for desert cacti is supplanted by peat/leafmold/loam for these. The difference is high organic matter, the similatity is that both kinds of cacti need well -draining mixes. Once the right soil has been given, it is important to note that full sun in the summer is not a good idea in most places, but that some sun is needed. When the days grow short (Sep/Oct in northern hemisphere), water sparingly, giving the plant about 6 weeks of a cooler, drier regimen. This period will induce bloom, especially if the diurnal range is in the 20-30 degree F range, something hard to do in the average home. Although some thought can be given to shading the plants from bright lights at night, this does not seem as critical as the rest period. More important is to shelter the plant from dry winds (heating ducts), changing the environment once buds have set, and ethylene gas (from plastics, propane heaters and ripening fruit). Any of these three conditions can cause the falling off of the flower buds, commonly called bud blast. The small roots of these cacti are not equipped to deal with drought, and the stems have adapted to living in the shade cast by their tree hosts. Given even a rough approximation of their jungle home they will bloom in a panoply of colors, in season, every year....See MoreWant Easter cactus, Thanksgiving cactus and christmas cactus
Comments (2)So you want a full grown plant to exchange with seedlings? That kind of makes no sense... I get that it rare, but still...See Morekathi_mdgd
9 years ago
spikef35
9 years agossk22 Ohio 5b
9 years ago
jayleec
9 years ago
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
9 years agoThat's a huge and wonderful plant! I, too, would grow it as large as possible. My own Christmas Cactus is 36 years old, but it's been trimmed to maintain size. I am attempting to encourage the woody trunks to thicken up and become stronger so that they can support an ever widening canopy.
Josh
parodise
9 years agoJay, your plant is absolutely amazing! Have never seen anything so large. Here's my recent acquisition - a plant some 70 cm in diameter. Not as huge as yours but with great potential. It's currently going into bloom, need to take and post some follow-up pictures. This one is from 3 weeks ago.
Lena
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
9 years agoEmbothrium
9 years agoparodise
9 years agokathi_mdgd
9 years agojayleec
9 years agocamellia1_gw
9 years agojayleec
9 years agocamellia1_gw
9 years agoFloral Lover
8 years agobyron_pdx
8 years ago
Theresa Nikkel
5 years agoHi! New on here but had to sign up to comment! W. O. W. Is all that comes to mind. That is One SPECTACULAR Plant!! I recently, last summer, inherited a CC from my mother in law. As far as I know, it’s around 50 years old and has looked the same for the 35 years I have know it .... I have it next to a large south facing window,( though it spent the last 35 in a west shaded window) I’ve recently checked the roots, pot size is fine and it always blooms around Christmas. I am curious to know if you would share what do with yours/what type of lighting etc etc etc. As I would LOVE for mine to get huge And lush!!!
nanzjade z5 MA
5 years agoWhat a great old thread, WOW is right!
Hi Theresa, welcome! Where are you located? Can you place it outside? Mine love it, bright but indirect sunlight. When is the last time it was repotted? I'm sure it would love fresh potting soil with perlite (I add some pumice too for nutrients). Also, could you please get a close up of some leaves that hang lower? Is there some yellowing of the leaves, I wonder if they are lacking nutrients. I LOVE your plant stand with the Romanesque/Greek style!! Is it concrete? Heavy?
My kitten had beat up these three CC's during the winter by jumping all over them and tearing off branches other wise they'd be even larger. They are growing and recovering nicely outside in a shaded corner. I feed them with either Foliage Pro, Miracle Grow or Jack's All Purpose but I also alternate will just water them with plain tap (or even better rainwater) to help flush the salts.
The one on the left I repotted last year, and I have to repot the two big ones soon. I use the garden hose to wash all the old soil from the roots off...sometimes if the roots are super long (say 10") I trim them (after repotting though don't fertilize until signs of new growth). As lovely as these big CC's are, they are a lot of work, mostly because two are wicked heavy. I have them on wheels so I can slide them on the deck.
I remember when I first got my CC's about 4 or 5 years ago, growers gave me good advise, which is that they like more water than true Cacti plants. They come from a tropical rain forest and live under tall trees and get bright filtered light from the tall trees they grow on.
Still blooming, it's crazy!
Their wheels...
My kitten having too much fun at their expense. When mine come in for the winter, they get morning Southeast sun. They love it. I water them about every 10 days, when soil appears dry on top.
-Nancy
Theresa Nikkel
5 years ago
Saypoint zone 6 CT
5 years agoMine was passed from my Great Aunt to my mother and then to me. I’ve had it almost 40 years and it was probably 10 years old when I got it. It’s now about 4.5 feet wide. I lost some of the size when I moved 20 years ago and it dropped a lot of branches due to stress. I have no idea how I would even repot it at this point without breaking off a lot of it. The pot would probably have to be cut off, it’s clay-look plastic. If anyone has any advice on this please share.
Rob Blomquist
5 years ago
Jeff (5b)
5 years agoSaypoint zone 6 CT
5 years agoodyssey3
5 years agoHU-765340319
2 years agolast modified: 2 years ago
This is Mary in 2020. She is much bigger now and begining to bloom again. will send more pics when she is in full bloom.
kimivu
2 years agogreenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
2 years ago@kimivu, my Christmas Cactus is 43 years old now.
I prune it a couple times during the prime growing season,
to keep the foliage sturdy and more "upright."
socks
2 years agojayleec
2 years agoHU-322719659
last year
Jeff (5b)