Christmas Cactus

Christmas cactus, (hybrid Schlumbergera ×buckleyi), popular cactus of the family Cactaceae that has flattened stems and is grown for its striking cerise flowers, blooming indoors about Christmastime in the Northern Hemisphere. Most Christmas cacti now in cultivation are considered to be hybrids of the Thanksgiving, or crab, cactus (Schlumbergera truncata, formerly Epiphyllum truncatum) and S. russelliana. Like other Schlumbergera species, it is native to Brazil, where it grows as an epiphyte in rainforests, mainly on trees or shrubs but sometimes in shady places among rocks. The alternative genus name, Zygocactus, is frequently encountered.

The Christmas cactus is often confused with the Thanksgiving cactus; however, in the former the margins of the stem joints are crenated (they have rounded indentations), whereas in the latter the margins are sharply saw-toothed. Given that Thanksgiving cacti bloom in late fall, they are often erroneously marketed as Christmas cacti.

The Easter cactus, formerly classified as S. gaertneri, is now referred to as Hatiora gaertneri.