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Christmas cactus is a tropical plant grown for its showy flowers, which appear around Christmas time.

As with many of our household tropicals, the Christmas cactus comes from Brazil originally. The Latin name for the native genus is Schlumbergera, although it was at one time called Zygocactus. There are several species and varieties grown for ornamental use, such as Schlumbergera russelliana.

Christmas cactus grow in hardiness zones 10 to 12. Although some parts of continental USA are in zone 10, gardeners should be careful growing Christmas cactus outside year round if the temperatures occasionally plummet. This is a case where knowing the microclimate of your own property will guide your choice. An easy way to tell if you can grow a tropical plant outside where you live is to look around and see if anyone else is doing it!

The plant can live outside in the summer, even in Canada, but it does not like direct sunlight. The leaves turn red and burn with too much sun.

Keep the soil moist, not saturated. The leaves become flat and flaccid if the plant is suffering drought stress.

Flowering is triggered by cooler temperatures and short day length - about 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness starting in mid-October (for about 6 to 8 weeks). You can do this by putting the plant in a closet at night, but it is better if you can put it in a room which will be naturally dark, to avoid moving the plant. You might try the basement, and bring the plant upstairs once it's flowering.

If you can keep the plant cooler than room temperature (about 16 degrees C or 55 degrees F) for a few weeks, that will encourage flowering without the need for the dark treatment.

After flowering, pinch the wilted flowers off and take a section or two of the leaves off as well to prune the plant back. This will encourage branching, for a bushy plant with healthy roots.

Christmas cactus grows reasonably well from cuttings.

The plants can live and flower for many years with minimal care. Occasional fertilizing and repotting are all that's needed.

After flowering,

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