Christmas Cactus
General Information About the Christmas Cactus
The Christmas cactus is known to be passed down from generation to generation because of the simple fact that they live for such a long time and are easily taken care of. These plants are one of the easiest plants to grow in your home garden with a high success rate of it surviving for years to come. These plants are part of the Zygo-cactus family which is slightly different from the normal cacti most people picture when they hear the word cactus. One may picture a desert scenario but this plant grows in the same kind of conditions as that of an orchid or in a tree branch separation where they survive off of dead plant leaves and other natural fertilizers. Seeing as how this plant is a tropical plant it has to be taken care of in quite a different respect than that of a typical cactus.
How to Make Your Christmas Cactus Plant Bloom
The key to yielding a flower from your Christmas cactus in the winter season is the exposure to the right amounts of natural light. With this being said, it is very important that the plant not be exposed to freezing conditions, or to unnatural light during the evening and night times. The plant can be stored in a room where there will be no unnatural light during the evenings and with a temperature that will not drop below about fifty degrees Fahrenheit. Having this plant on a watering schedule is also a key factor to growing a beautiful looking flower. Like other tropical plants it is very important that they regularly receive water but the right amount is also important.
Be sure to not over water this plant or the flower will not bloom. Think of your watering schedule as a digestive system; it is very important that the body stay on a consistent feeding schedule of the right amounts of food or else the body will not function as effective as it should. Over eating is harmful to the body much like over watering is harmful to this plant, or any plant for that matter.
The watering schedule however changes during the fall and winter months. This is a crucial time for the flower, which requires less watering than in the spring and summer seasons. This may seem like a lot of work just to get a flower to bloom, but it sure is a sight to see a plant that seems as harsh as a cactus bloom some of the most beautiful flowers.
Why Humidity Is So Important
The right humidity is important for this plant seeing as how it is naturally a tropical plant. In tropical climates the humidity is higher than that of a typical, normal American home. In normal tropical climates the humidity levels range any where from seventy seven to eighty percent humidity. These natural conditions cause almost every plant to flourish naturally which is why it is important to mimic these conditions. Since most people do not have access to a green house or anything similar to such a thing which is why it may be a good idea to leave a vase or a try or some kind of container filled with water next to the plant.
The reason for this being that when the water evaporates it increases the humidity levels mimicking that of the tropical climates. Taking anything out of its natural environment introduces a great shock to the Christmas cactus plant or animals system which requires them to adapt and change to fit its new surroundings.
Why Your Christmas Cactus Plant May Not Be Successful
Professional growers and people similar grow their plants in a green house where they can adjust the settings of the environment to fit the important needs of the plant. These needs may include amounts of nutrients, temperature, humidity, exposure to light, as well as some other things such as which plants tend to help with the growing process of one another. Honey bees are important because they carry pollen from one plant to another creating diversity and fertilization which is a key concept in the success of any plant growth. Which is why it is a very good idea to have a large variety of plants which flourish under the same conditions in a green house at the same time.
Some Christmas cactus plants tend to get as far as growing flower buds but then unexpectedly die and fall off the plant. The reason for this happening can be any of the following: insufficient or over exposure to light, lack of or overwatering, lack of humidity, or a mixture of the following. It is important also to give the plant a bout a months time of a resting period during the winter season. Watering it less and storing it in conditions that do not greatly exceed fifty degrees Fahrenheit is important during this resting period. It is also an important factor to remember that during this period it would not be wise to prune or clip the plant, although it may seem as though it is getting weaker it is all a part if the process. So let some leaves fall off and in time your plant will bloom with some of the most gorgeous flowers you have ever seen on such a strange type of plant.
