A new Schlumbergera

Yes a new Schlumbergera. And no, not a true Christmas cactus (although I saw a very large one of those today, sadly already sold), but another Thanksgiving cactus.

Why?

Well it had buds. And those buds had a really nice colour to them.

Pictures don't really do them justice.

The edge of the petals are a dark pink, but then fades into a peachy/orange colour and since I'm still hunting for a peach or orange coloured Schlumbergera, I caved - the $2.99 price tag didn't help me either.
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The largest of three buds

See the gradient?

Funnily enough, although the website for the nursery from which I acquired my new addition stipulates that all employees have horticulture degrees, a number of these cacti were being sold as Christmas cactus; it just shows how uncommon the differences seem to be around here.

I'm also would have loved to know how much the true Christmas cactus sold for; but the label didn't share that information. I do wonder if they were donated the plant, as it was huge and probably several years old and, I think, in need to be re-potted. Some of the branches also looked like they would fall if gently touched.

How I wished they had smaller versions for sale, but all the smaller ones had, as the Boy calls them, "cat face" segments typical of the Thanksgiving cactus. I also didn't think of taking out my phone to take a picture of the behemoth of a plant.

 Colour variation.

The picture above showcases my new acquisition next to one of my established Schlumbergera, one that has been giving me a few flowers over the Spring. I have always found that one to be on the pink side, although in the picture above looks a little magenta. But it does show that my new plant isn't really pink.

I am actually truly looking forward to the largest bud to open and to see what it's true colour will be!

As for the total of Schlumbergera that are beyond the stage of cuttings, I'm still at 6. I parted with the larger one I had a few weeks ago, when it appeared the soil and segments looked contaminated with what could have been mealy bugs. It wasn't worth the effort to try and get rid of them and I didn't want to chance it spreading to my other plants.

Schlumbergera - Part 2

I don't think this will be as long as part one, as I don't have nearly as much history with these plants, but you never know...

I'll continue numbering from where I left off (so we'll be staring at number four here) and in this case, I'll be going in order the plants were purchased.

Thanksgiving cactus #4

In truth, #4 and #5 were both purchased on the same occasion, from a big box store that will remain nameless. I did go to this store to find Schlumbergera, and more specifically, one who's blooms were (some variation of) orange. And since I selected #4 before #5, it gets the privilege to go "first".

This lovely specimen came in a six inch pot, and was really reasonably priced. It was hidden on a shelf, likely because it had no flowers left (neither did the other Schlumbergera available in this size pot or those available in four inch pots). So why would I, when I was looking for a very specific buy not only one, but two plants that show no obvious indication of being what I was looking for?

Because they were a really good deal and apparently I have no will power.

Truthfully though, there was one plant that had a label in in that would lead you to believe you that that specific one was orange. However, since none of the others had a label and that I don't believe that store is particularly careful about labels going in the proper plant and that it could have easily been misplaced and that the plant to which it was associated at the time looked pretty bad, I passed and got the one pictured above instead.

I had purchased this just as I had transplanted the other three at home and not knowing if they were all going to make it, it was my opportunity to get a nice full plant for cheap.

Flower bud?

I'm hopeful that I might this one to bloom in the near future. It appears to have what might be flower buds showing here and there - they are still tiny little things and are dark purple in colour.


Thanksgiving cactus #5

Unlike #4, this one is in a four inch pot and wasn't nearly as much of a deal as the other, nor did it look too great when I got it. So why did it come home? Because, based on the dried flowers that were within it's plastic envelope, it might be orange. Now there is no guarantee; the flower could have changed colour a little when drying, it could have come from another plant...but I figured it was worth the risk. Unlike #4 though, it doesn't seem keen to be producing flower buds right now, instead focusing on new segments.

New segment growing!

Thanksgiving cactus #6

This one was purchased the same week as the two previous plants, but from a different store.

Having purchased two new plants already, did I need a third one that also was not in bloom? No. However, this one was labelled red and based on what I could see, if flowers are true to what came with it (and this store is better with labeling when they do), the blooms should be similar to the ones on the Schlumbergera I thought I was losing.

New segment!

And...it was on sale. A plant this size for ten dollars seemed like a good bargain so home it came!

Tiny flower bud

So this is it for my fairly mature Thanksgiving cacti. I do have a few cuttings on the go, as well as a small pot with a few cuttings that was given to me with I was told were from a true Christmas cactus, but I have a feeling they might be the same as what I already have. Those cuttings are still small so it is hard tell for sure, and it will be covered in a subsequent post.

Schlumbergera - Part 1

I have a small (possibly slightly out of control) obsession with Schlumbergera; namely the one also referred to Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) that, until very recently and before knowing any better, I used to refer to as Christmas cactus. The obvious difference being that Thanksgiving cactus have the more pointy ended segments (referred to "cat face" by my boyfriend), whereas Christmas cactus have more rounded edges. To be perfectly honest, I love both, it just appears that my collection does not seem to have a genuine Christmas cactus in it!

This post will focus on the Schlumbergera I have owned for longer than a year, to keep it at a reasonable length, and the more recent plants will get their own post later.

To keep things organized, I'll number the plants since I don't know any of their specific names; and because I need to start somewhere, I'll go from the plant I was the most convinced would survive after those months of neglect to the one I thought I would lose.

Thanksgiving cactus #1

Although a little flimsy, I was pretty sure this plant would make it and when it came to re-potting it, I gave it one of my favourite new planters (the colour is much nicer in person, I swear!). It has also been located near a window that face south, but that doesn't let in direct sunlight (there is shading provided by a fence on one side and a portion of the house that sticks out on the other) and it seems to love it there. The plant has perked up and the colour has gotten more vibrant and it is growing.

When I transplanted it, it actually had a few flowers that I thought would likely fall as a result, but they didn't and I was blessed with three blooms in March. These pictures were taken at the end of that month, just after the last flower was spent and fell off. Since, a few new flower buds have popped so I'll be lucky and get another small flowering out of it this Spring!

This plant is actually the result of one main branch, not multiple plants, and is more heavy on one side. However, new shoots are growing on the other side and I'm guessing it'll fill out eventually. I also have no idea when I acquired it so am clueless about it's potential age.

Showing new growths

The "other" side

Here is what its bloom looks like (I'll have more pictures in another post)

Thanksgiving cactus #2

I am fairly certain this specific Schlumbergera was purchased in early 2008, right after the Holidays, with no flowers left on it from a local supermarket that had it and a few others on a liquidation shelf (the whole set-up made it look like the plants would be thrown out if not sold by the end of that week).

Prior to being transplanted, this branch was in a pot with two or three other branches. The others obviously didn't make it, they were dead/rotting and I had some cleaning up to do prior to re-potting it. Because of the other dead parts, there was a little part of me that thought that this one might go the same way, and the segments were quite purple/burgandy looking in colour.

It is now located on a long narrow table with other plants under a east facing window and south facing patio door. Yet, it is not in direct light so it seems fairly happy. The segments are slowly returning to a more natural looking green. This might have to do with either better lighting or fresh soil bringing much needed nutrients, or possibly other reasons I can't think of.

New growths, too early to say if leaves or flowers (or both!)

 More new growths (and I'm fairly certain there is at least two potential flower buds there!)

If I'm not mistaken and this is the plants I referred to earlier, here is what hte flowers looked like in December 2008 - again, I purchased this guy to save it, did not know what colour the flowers would be. (This picture was taken under flash.)

 Thanksgiving cactus #3

This one I thought I would lose. It was very shriveled, very lanky and just looked like it was on the brink of dying. And had I lost it, out of all the Schlumbergera featured on this page, this one would have made me the saddest.

Why?

This one I grew from a cutting from my mom's plant. I've had this one the longest, although I can't remember when I started the plant (didn't note it down, seemed irrelevant back then). I re-potted it, hoping it would survive. I did remove some of the worse looking segments, so that the plant wouldn't have to focus reviving them and put its energy towards the segments that looked like they had a chance. Through the weeks, I pruned back when segments looked like they were beyond saving. On a few occasions, I almost gave up and thought I had to let it go entirely.

But then some of the segments started to look plumper. And before I knew it, it started to raise itself, holding itself taller. These pictures were taken in late March and it was on it's way to getting better, but still looks a little slouchy. I really ought to take pictures now and do a before/after post.

New growth! Flower or segment?

 More new growths!

A little slouchy but on the mend

I don't have a picture of the flowers from this guy and, since my mom had two Schlumbergera, it will either be pink or red with some white. I do believe the cutting came from the latter plant and it produces a really nice flower.

That is it for the Schlumbergera I had for longer than a year and that needed some love and attention to bring back to health. Part two to follow!