I don't have much of a green thumb, so when I find easy-to-maintain plants I tend to stick with them. Christmas Cactus is one of few houseplants that I find very easy to keep alive. In my experience, the more you ignore them, the better they grow. My Christmas Cactus loves being ignored so much that I recently had to divide it into three plants because it had grown so large!
Christmas Cactus is a popular gift around the holidays. Thanksgiving through Christmas is when they often bloom. It is known as a winter blooming houseplant and one of the few plants you can give on Christmas and have it be in full bloom. The flowers come in a variety of colors including red, purple, pink, cream.
Caring for your Christmas Cactus is very easy. As long as you do not let your plant dry out, it will be in good shape. You should water your cactus when the top layer of soil has started to dry. Try not to over water during it's blooming season as this will cause the unflowered buds to drop off. You should place your cactus in a bright area out of direct sunlight. Spray your cactus with a fine mist of water if the room is particularly dry. You can also apply a water based fertilizer monthly.
You can purchase a Christmas Cactus just about anywhere. I have seen them sold everywhere from home improvement centers like Lowes and Home Depot to my local supermarket. If you are looking to send one as a gift Jackson & Perkins has beautiful Christmas Cactus gifts. I also found a 15% off coupon for Jackson & Perkins on RetailMeNot.com so you can save a little money on this gift! (The code is 15OFF).
Remember to ignore and enjoy!
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