The Christmas cactus is a long lived plant with flat, segmented
stems. Most of the year its appearance is fairly unassuming. Some potted
green in the corner of the living room or parked under a tree in the
back yard.
Around Christmas, however, something magical happens.
With care, this plain looking plant will blossom with flowers of red,
white, pink, purple or orange. Because of this festive seasonal bloom,
the Christmas cactus is a tradition in many European and North American
homes during the holidays.
But the beauty of the hardy Christmas cactus isn’t limited to just the holiday season. Jeanne Dombcik, an Ohio transplant living in Raleigh, NC, tells the tale of her fifty-year-old Christmas cactus and the family ties it symbolizes.
“So it’s 1985 and I’m staying with my grandmother Gladys Browngardt
in Sag Harbor, New York, working on my cousin Hank’s farm stand,” Jeanne
recalls. “She had this Christmas cactus that sat outside under the pine
trees when I was there and I took care of it all summer.”
Jeanne’s grandmother passed away that summer.
“After my grandmother died, all of my 24 first cousins came to the
house to help clear it out. When it came my turn to decide what to take,
I thought about it. I decided that what I really wanted was that
Christmas cactus I had been keeping alive all summer.”
“I got a cardboard box, my dad helped me pack the Christmas cactus up and I drove it from Sag Harbor to Cleveland, Ohio, where I took cuttings of it and rooted them. I sent them back to Sag Harbor to live with all of my cousins and aunts and uncles. Now whenever I go to visit their houses, I see a piece of my grandmother’s original Christmas cactus.”
Jeanne still passes along cuttings from her grandmother’s plant, which continues to thrive today.
Caring for Christmas Cactus
Christmas cactus thrives in bright, but indirect sunlight. Keep it
near a window when indoors or shaded by trees if kept outdoors in warmer
months.
Despite its name, the Christmas cactus is not a desert plant, but rather has its origins in the tropical rain forests of South America. If you live in a dry climate, make sure a source of humidity like a shallow tray of water is kept nearby. The plant will not tolerate dry soil and requires regular watering (done at the base of the plant).
Conversely, too much water will cause leaves to spot and fall off.
Allow the top layer of soil to dry completely before watering.
Ensuring a Christmas bloom
A carefully monitored balance of darkness and sunlight will prompt
flowering during the season. As the holiday approaches, place the plant
in a completely dark space (such as a closet) for 12 hours each night. A
temperature of 60 degrees is ideal during this time. 6 to 8 weeks
later, expect full bloom.
A few weeks after the flowers have faded, prune stems back to encourage new growth.
Propagation
Start your own tradition by sharing your own Christmas cactus. By transplanting a cutting of at least three stem segments into a small pot of soil (preferably taken from the pot of the parent plant). Bury at least one segment. Care for the cutting as a mature plant and it should take root in 4 to 6 weeks.
The day after sharing her story with me, Jeanne dropped by my office
bearing a gift. A small cutting from her grandmother’s Christmas cactus.
My own little piece of a holiday tradition that lives on all year long.
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