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Post by KelleeM on Nov 21, 2020 14:39:15 GMT
I posted this on Facebook this morning: This gorgeous Christmas cactus started off as a tiny little plant. I don’t know who gave it to her but it belonged to my sweet mother-in-law, Mama Rita. Somehow Dick got it when she passed away in 2014 and he babied it. It grew and he transplanted it and it grew and grew and grew...Now it’s in a huge pot and lives in front of my front windows. It’s blossoms remind me of her and her immense love for her family and of Dick and his immense love for his family. It’s beautiful blossoms started showing up a couple of weeks ago and will continue past Christmas. I’m so happy that it found it’s way into our house and I’m grateful that I’ve managed to keep it alive!  |
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Post by elaine on Nov 21, 2020 14:42:19 GMT
Mine is on its second year. I have a lot of new growth, but no flowers so far. I’m probably going to buy a new one, because I want some pretty flowers!
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Post by KelleeM on Nov 21, 2020 14:46:48 GMT
Mine is on its second year. I have a lot of new growth, but no flowers so far. I’m probably going to buy a new one, because I want some pretty flowers! I was thinking of you when I snapped this picture. I remember you posting once about how to care for them in order to get them to bloom for Christmas. This one has a mind of it’s own! |
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Post by quinlove on Nov 21, 2020 14:48:35 GMT
Wow Just Wow !! Beautiful
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msliz
Drama Llama
The Procrastinator
Posts: 6,419
Jun 26, 2014 21:32:34 GMT
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Post by msliz on Nov 21, 2020 14:54:27 GMT
It's beautiful
I don't have one, but my dad did long ago. It made him so happy when it bloomed. It was like he was taking pride in one of his children's accomplishments
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Post by auntkelly on Nov 21, 2020 14:59:37 GMT
Beautiful Christmas cactus Meelleek!
Mine has a lot of buds which haven't opened yet. My husband bought it for me three years' ago when we visited the Biltmore.
My bil has one that belonged to my mil. Her best friend gave it to her and it was my mother in law's pride and joy. I think it is about 60 years' old now. It only failed to bloom one year-the year my mil's best friend died.
I like to think that the reason it bloomed the year my mil died was because she died right after Christmas and it wanted her to enjoy the blooms one last time.
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desertgirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,646 
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Post by desertgirl on Nov 21, 2020 14:59:38 GMT
I’ve never seen one that sculpturally lovely, KelleeM. I used to grow them and I am thinking of buying one now. Glad yours has good memories attached, too❤️. |
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purplebee
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,801
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Post by purplebee on Nov 21, 2020 15:01:13 GMT
So pretty! I have a pink one that looks very similar in size to yours. I bought it one year at Lowe’s, a 6 inch pot and covered in blooms. I kept it for about 4 years with nary a bloom or a new shoot. I almost pitched it, but decided to give it another chance. I repotted it and moved it to an east-facing window and it grew like crazy. It is covered with blooms at the moment like yours. I recently read that what I have (and yours is probably) is a Thanksgiving cactus. There are different varieties, the Thanksgiving cactus has a “dip” in the end of the segments, the Christmas one is straight across, and they bloom accordingly. I had no idea and thought mine were just early bloomers.
Thanks for sharing, I love them.
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Post by elaine on Nov 21, 2020 15:04:30 GMT
Mine is on its second year. I have a lot of new growth, but no flowers so far. I’m probably going to buy a new one, because I want some pretty flowers! I was thinking of you when I snapped this picture. I remember you posting once about how to care for them in order to get them to bloom for Christmas. This one has a mind of it’s own! Yours is beautiful! ❤️ |
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Post by MZF on Nov 21, 2020 15:11:27 GMT
It's beautiful! I almost bought one the other day--every year I talk myself out of buying one as I have not managed to keep a single plant alive in the house. I read my gardening book and try to follow it, but no luck. But I might have to get one today after my doctor appt.
If any of you gals have tips for keeping these alive, please share.
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J u l e e
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,531
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Jun 28, 2014 2:50:47 GMT
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Post by J u l e e on Nov 21, 2020 15:14:24 GMT
It’s beautiful! I love that it bloomed for your mother-in-law and for your husband and continues to bloom for you. What a sweet thing to have around. My sister has one that bloomed this year with red and pink. She thinks is she reported two different colors together and didn’t realize it until it bloomed this year. I feel like I should go get a Christmas cactus now! Or a Thanksgiving one.  |
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hutchfan
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,597
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Post by hutchfan on Nov 21, 2020 15:24:43 GMT
It's very beautiful!
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Post by SockMonkey on Nov 21, 2020 15:27:47 GMT
Oh, wow! That is super cool!
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Post by gizzy on Nov 21, 2020 18:31:40 GMT
It's beautiful & I'm glad it brings you happy memories.
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peaname
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,390
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Post by peaname on Nov 21, 2020 18:32:51 GMT
Is it a Thanksgiving cactus? You can tell them apart by the shape of the leaves.
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Post by stormsts on Nov 21, 2020 18:37:13 GMT
So pretty!
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Post by bc2ca on Nov 21, 2020 19:07:22 GMT
What a beautiful plant with a sweet history.  I bought a couple Christmas cacti at the farmer's market last weekend hoping they will work to replace the herbs grasshoppers feasted on and destroyed. |
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msladibug
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,536
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Post by msladibug on Nov 21, 2020 19:17:27 GMT
I started mine from a leaf that had like 2 or 3 segments, Now it’s about the same size as yours. What kind of cactus is it if it blooms all year? Thanksgiving, Xmas, Easter and in the summer.I have it in a southern window. Mine has blooms now that will be open any day now, they are a pretty fuchsia color. Don’t know how to post a pic.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Nov 22, 2024 14:42:16 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2020 19:22:01 GMT
Mine are starting to get buds. You actually have a Thanksgiving cactus. A Christmas cactus has different shaped leaves.   |
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Nov 21, 2020 19:24:51 GMT
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Post by librarylady on Nov 21, 2020 19:34:31 GMT
Currently all I have are Thanksgiving cactus. The very first one I owned, I did the light/dark x number of hours in an attempt to get it to bloom. Nothing happened. Next year, I again strictly followed all the guides for light/dark and got no blooms. Next year, I said "to hell with it" and just left the plant on the porch. On the porch it had nature's lights and the light from our porch light interrupting the light cycle. It bloomed very well. Thereafter, I have let nature decide if it is blooming or not. I have a small one blooming now, but only with 2 blooms. We had a huge lovely Christmas cactus such as the one in the OP. One bitterly cold week a few years ago, we brought it into the garage to protect it from the cold. It turned out that a rat was seeking refuge there also and he ate the cactus down to the roots.  |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Nov 22, 2024 14:42:16 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2020 19:41:28 GMT
It's beautiful. I bought a Christmas cactus while I was grocery shopping this afternoon They remind me of my mum. |
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Post by catck on Nov 21, 2020 19:58:06 GMT
I had one for years that did nothing, no blooms ever. Then we moved and it now blooms twice a year, in the spring/summer and it's blooming at the moment. It was definitely worth the wait!
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Post by Neisey on Nov 21, 2020 20:03:45 GMT
I have one from exDH's grandmother that is at least 60 years old if not older. As a military family it has moved at least 7 times in the last 20 years. I do not have a green thumb - I also have an 30+ year old spider plant at work and it and this cactus as the only living proof! The cactus has not bloomed in years, probably due to neglect. Before I even saw this thread today I decided to mix some worm composted soil that my brother sent into the pot...maybe that will be helpful??
And according to the photos above, it has flat ended segments so is indeed a Christmas cactus.
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Post by roxley on Nov 21, 2020 20:07:51 GMT
My leaves are red so it is obviously missing something! But it still blooms 2 or 3 times a year. Also, the cats chew on it, hence the brown spots. Poor thing. Attachments:
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Post by librarylady on Nov 21, 2020 20:43:50 GMT
Ours reside in a southern window or on the porch on the north side of the house.
A serious gardener told me once that the plant needed the cooler nights to set the blooms. IDK about that as ours are inside in
climate controlled environment.
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Post by nine on Nov 21, 2020 21:08:30 GMT
Magnificent! I almost bought a small one yesterday. Maybe I’ll go back and get it.
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Post by KelleeM on Nov 21, 2020 22:21:02 GMT
Mine are starting to get buds. You actually have a Thanksgiving cactus. A Christmas cactus has different shaped leaves. You learn something new every day!! 😊 |
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Post by 16joy on Nov 22, 2020 0:06:05 GMT
I didn’t know about the shape of leaves to indicate blooming time. Now I want to get one
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snyder
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Posts: 4,340
Location: Colorado
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Post by snyder on Nov 22, 2020 0:09:41 GMT
I just love Christmas Cactus. They are so pretty and yours looks so healthy. My sister-in-law had one that seemed to bloom on every major holiday, so they called it the Holiday Cactus, when she passed, my sister acquired it and it lived for about 16 more years and then it just didn't do well any more. I had a small one when we lived in the mountains and it was doing so well, but when I moved back to the city, it just wasn't happy. The one I have to brag on is my brother's. He said a friend gave it to my 19.5 years ago and it just likes the corner he put it in. He sent me this photo a few days ago. Said it will bloom a couple more times during the year, but won't be as full as it is now. Oh and not that it matters, my brother is a single bachelor and never dreamed he would have house plants. lol
ETA: I asked him if he fed it and he said he did. He said he uses Schultz plant food and waters it every two weeks. I think you add a few drops of this food in the water prior to watering.
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