It must be Christmas!

Discussion in 'Houseplants' started by Ronni, Nov 6, 2016.

  1. Ronni

    Ronni Hardy Maple

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    [​IMG]

    See all those buds? ^^ It's gonna be SO pretty this year!

    I have two more Christmas cacti, neither of which are blooming yet. But I noticed these little nodes on the ends of one of them. Are these the beginnings of flowers, or just buds to more leaves?

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  3. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Their flowers are so distinctive and very pretty. Those are flower buds, the leaves will start out flat and with a reddish hue then turn green as they get larger.
     
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  4. Ronni

    Ronni Hardy Maple

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    Thanks toni. I just couldn't for the life of me remember how the leaves started out. I mean, I know that they grow out from the center of the leaf before, giving those cacti their distinctive look, but the flowers grow out like that too. I appreciate the clarification.

    I'm going to have SO MANY FLOWERS this year then!! The second of the three I have looks to have twice as many flower buds as the one I posted. Both flowered last year, but just two or three buds, so this abundance of flowers is really exciting!! The third however has nothing, at least so far. It's the youngest of the three though, I've only had it for a couple of years, the others twice as long. So if it doesn't flower this year, maybe next.
     
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  5. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Mine have not been liking me last year, only two blooms between the 6 plants I have. What colors do you have?
     
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  6. Ronni

    Ronni Hardy Maple

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    White and pink on the two larger ones. The smaller one that hasn't rebloomed yet...I can't quite remember. I THINK it's red but it's been so long since I've seen the flowers! :eek:
     
  7. purpleinopp

    purpleinopp Young Pine Plants Contributor

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    Love that white one! I'm starting to see buds too.
    2016-11-11 015.JPG
    I had a lot more of these until last summer when squirrels ate a lot of them but I never have found a white one. Stores should be full of them soon, for those who are needing more.

    More hours of darkness than light and temps below 85 are what causes the buds to form.
    http://www.gardenstew.com/plantstew/19870
     
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  8. Netty

    Netty Chaotic Gardener Plants Contributor

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    I've never seen white! I love it!
     
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  9. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    The white is beautiful Ronni. I must say I am partial to Christmas cacti! I have several...all gifts & they just hum along, requiring little care, seemingly immune to bugs & then like clock work just when I forget about them, BLOOM!
     
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  10. kate

    kate In Flower

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    Thats a beaut Ronni!
    I promise myself to buy one every year, it never happens.
    K
     
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  11. Islandlife

    Islandlife Young Pine

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    Love your WHITE Christmas cactus. Very beautiful. My Christmas cactus is a bit of a rebel and prefers to bloom whenever it wants :( :( And so far this year is showing no signs of budding out at all.
     
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  12. purpleinopp

    purpleinopp Young Pine Plants Contributor

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    Being in a room where lights are on when it's dark outside is the main reason Schlumbergera truncata would fail to form buds at this time of year (in N hemisphere.)
    http://www.gardenstew.com/plantstew/19870

    Update on one of mine. Also in the pic are other buds, Callisia elegans and Kalanchoe blossfeldiana. Love winter bloomers!

    2016-11-23 003.JPG
     
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  13. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    Purple...so that is the secret.
     
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  14. purpleinopp

    purpleinopp Young Pine Plants Contributor

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  15. Ronni

    Ronni Hardy Maple

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    Wow. Wow! All three Christmas cacti have bloomed! First time in years that they all bloomed all at once!! Even the baby .. the one that has been struggling to stay alive, managed to put out a bloom..first time ever!! Merry Christmas folks!! [​IMG]

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  16. Islandlife

    Islandlife Young Pine

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    WOOT WOOT! Yeah! That was definitely a feat to get them to bloom all at the same time. Mine all bloom whenever but I did luck out with one blooming now-ish although some of the bloom are now drying up.

    Where did you get your pot hanger little guys? Love 'em! I have a bunch of frogs, turtles and lizards but I quite like your little people/elf guys :)

    BTW - your Christmas cactus definitely seems real red too. Nice colour :)
     

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