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Decembrist or “Christmas cactus” was introduced into culture a very long time ago. Its scientific name is Zygocactus (obsolete), or Schlumbergera. This plant should not be confused with the so-called “Easter cactus” (ripsalidopsis). They differ in the shape of the flower and stems, as well as in the timing of flowering. The appearance of natural species of Ripsalidopsis is consistent, unlike Schlumbergera truncata.
IN summer time Zygocactus, or Decembrist, looks very inconspicuous. Its monochromatic, usually not bright green shoots, consisting of segments, do not attract special attention. But with the approach of the New Year and Christmas holidays, a large number of buds, which after some time turn into flowers of unusual colors and shapes. 
Schlumbergera (zygocactus, Decembrist): description
This epiphytic forest cactus was originally named Zygocactus, but after some time it was assigned to the genus Schlumberger. According to various sources, there are 9 - 10 species in the genus.
This forest cactus is native to the tropical rainforests of South America. Perhaps the most surprising thing is the fact that plants retain the memory of their distant homeland and bloom only when South America Summer is coming.
The shoots of zygocactus consist of flat, shortened segments, the length of which is usually two to three centimeters. Along the edge of each segment there are several teeth (from two to five). New segments are formed on the old ones, and conical buds are formed at the ends of the young ones.
Schlumbergera: care, reproduction, problems during cultivation
Decembrist flowers are large in size and brightly colored. Well-grown and healthy specimens are almost completely covered with them. The buds bloom together, so that the plant turns into a lush bouquet.
The natural coloring of the Decembrists is bright red and white. Currently, thanks to the great work of breeders, new varieties and hybrids with various shades of colors appear almost every year. Quite often you can find varieties with bright orange, lilac and coral flowers. Crossing was carried out in such a way that zygocacti proper agricultural technology grown trees bloomed for a long time, and perhaps two or three times a year. It is noteworthy that zygocactus has an enviable longevity (fifteen to twenty years), although with age it appearance worsens somewhat.
Zygocactus, Decembrist, Schlumbergera: popular species and varieties
In culture, two groups of Decembrists are distinguished. Some are painted in a light green shade, the segment has a rounded scalloped shape and beautiful regular radial flowers, often crimson. Pink colour with pink pollen. The flowers hang down and appear in all their glory only when viewed from below. For this reason they are grown in hanging planters or place pots of them on elevated shelves. The name of these representatives sounds like Schlumbergera buckleyi. They were formerly known as Schlumbergera bridgesii. They bloom around Christmas (mid to late December), so the flowers are often called “Christmas cacti.” Schlumbergera Buckley is a hybrid obtained by crossing Schlumbergera truncata with one little-known species Schlumbergera russelliana, which is also a member of this genus. The hybrid is more different long flowering And large flowers. Usually, in indoor floriculture Schlumbergera Buckley, the “Christmas cactus,” is often grown.
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Other members of the genus are distinguished by sharply serrated edges of the segments and flowers with a strongly beveled (zygomorphic) corolla and yellow pollen. In culture since 1818. The name of these representatives is Schlumbergera truncata. Their flowering occurs a little earlier, in November, in America it coincides with the celebration of Thanksgiving Day, so there the flowers of this variety of Schlumbergera are called Thanksgiving Cacti.
Schlumbergera truncata is a fairly variable species. IN natural conditions quite often there are plant species that differ in both the size and shape of the segments. Moreover, the color can range from light green to reddish brown. The most incredible thing is the different colors of flowers. In the forests around the capital of Brazil you can see several dozen color options for Schlumbergera flowers. Scientists and breeders have long paid attention to this remarkable feature of the plant.
First in France, and then in other countries of the world, they began to purposefully select the most spectacular and decorative specimens and create new varieties. The first plants obtained were quite capricious; they were grown only with the help of grafting. But modern news selections are not inferior natural views in endurance, and in the abundance of flowering and variety of colors and shapes they are noticeably superior to them.
Schlumbergera buckleyi
Currently, the European flower industry supplies the market exclusively with varietal Schlumbergeras, but unfortunately some flower growers and collectors do not always indicate the varietal names. Varieties are known with pure white, fawn, salmon, lilac, orange, lemon yellow, cream, pink, red and two-color flower petals. Varieties with flowers reaching nine centimeters in length have also been obtained. Let's try to name some popular Schlumbergera varieties:
We recommend reading: Phalaenopsis orchid >
Spathiphyllum > Stapelia >
"Rosea" is a variety with violet - orange flowers with a pink-red center;
"Elektra" - a variety with red-purple glossy flowers;
“Triski Pink” - the variety has intense buds – purple and soft purple flowers;
“Zoe” - a variety with dark red buds and bright carmine flowers;
“Yvonne Pelham” - flowers of the variety are soft pink with longitudinal bright pink stripes; 
“Windsor” - a variety with large lavender flowers, the color of the petals is more intense at the edges and almost white in the center;
“Cambridge” - the flowers of the variety are painted in a soft yellow hue, and the shoots retain their vertical growth longer than those of other varieties.
One of the latest innovations is a spectacular cultivar with variegated shoots.
Schlumbergera truncata
Small, succulent Schlumbergera bushes strewn with buds or flowers are extremely attractive and many people plant them at home. But then they often experience disappointment, because the buds fall off, the bushes wither and dry out, and if they continue to grow, they quickly lose their beauty and no longer bloom.
This is explained by the fact that the plants on sale were grown in greenhouse conditions and were specially fed for powerful and abundant flowering. Only favorable conditions for all epiphytic cacti can improve the consequences of such cultivation.
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Ripsalidopsis Gartner
I have a friend who is incredibly superstitious. Not only does she know all the beliefs by heart, she also strictly observes them. He will never lend you money if you ask on the 13th. Of course, she avoids meeting a black cat... She didn’t ignore her either, and therefore she is saved from hunger and poverty by a ficus tree standing on the windowsill in the kitchen.
And recently a funny story happened to her. She calls me one day and asks with alarm in her voice:
Do you know why my Decembrist bloomed in the spring?
But does that really happen? – I’m surprised.
- Wow! – she practically screams in my ear. – Now I know why I’m unlucky in life!
I felt scared for the flower, I went to her to find out why the forest cactus became a spring conscript. I come and look. And it’s not the Decembrist that’s blooming, but the Easter egg!
WHO IS WHO? THAT IS THE QUESTION
And this is the Decembrist Truncata
And this is the Decembrist Truncata
However, it is easy to confuse them, they are very similar. However, they belong to different genera. Epiphytic cactus, popularly called Decembrist, known in botany under another name - truncata or truncated zygocactus (Schlumbergera truncata, Zygocactus truncates). The flower was named after the connoisseur and collector of succulents and cacti Frederick Schlumberger (19th century).
Easterflower is also an epiphytic cactus. In the previous taxonomy, this plant was classified as a genus rhipsalidopsis, but modern taxonomists now classify this epiphyte as a different genus, hatiore. This name is an anagram of the surname of the traveler and mathematician Thomas Harriot, who lived in the 16th century. According to another classification, the Easter flower is attributed to the genus Rhipsalis. In the literature, most often the forest cactus is called either rhipsalidopsis Gartner, or hatiora Gartner(Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri, Hatiora gaertneri).
But their places of growth coincide. The habitat of the epiphytes we are considering is tropical forests Latin America. Only in Ripsalidopsis Gartner The ecological niche is defined somewhat more broadly; it is found not only in the southeast of the continent, but also in its central part.
LEARNING TO DISTINCTION
Difference #1. Flowering time. Christmas blooms, as expected, in winter, and easter egg respectively in the spring, on Easter. Hence their names.Rest period rhipsalidopsis observed before flowering (autumn-winter). Schlumberger rests after flowering (spring). In other words, in the Decembrist, vegetative growth is observed in the summer, which ends with flowering, while the Hatiora has a different biorhythm - flowering - growth - dormancy.
Difference No. 2. And their buds are different. U Schlumbergers the petals curl slightly back, there is a tube, the corollas are slightly beveled. And rhipsalidopsis star flowers have correct form, the corolla is symmetrical.
Difference No. 3. The stems of these two plants seem identical to us only at first glance, but in fact they are different. In a winter flower, the plate ends in sharp teeth along the edges, while in a spring cactus, the segments are rounded and sometimes have a reddish edge.
But the tastes of the imaginary twin brothers coincide. Forest cacti do not like straight lines sun rays, prefer abundant watering, but their water should not stagnate in the pan. The soil should be slightly acidic and breathable. During budding and flowering, they cannot be turned over or placed near heating devices, otherwise they will lose their beauty.
P.S. My friend’s rhipsalidopsis was saved, now it flaunts in the most visible place, fortunately the signs don’t say anything about this.
When the Decembrist blooms, the gray winter days seem to brighten. Many bright delicate flowers, like multi-stage fountains, flow in cascades along the stems. And if several plants with flowers are planted in a flowerpot different colors, it seems, fireworks burst out on the windowsill! And the New Year holidays are perceived even brighter, more colorful and joyful!
In nature and when grown indoors (in favorable conditions), this epiphytic cactus tends to occupy as much space as possible, blooms profusely, produces many fruits and seeds, and reproduces vegetatively by fragments of stems.
In the forests of Brazil, Decembrist blooms in the summer, here in December. Hence its well-known popular name to all of us. In the store, this plant will be offered to you under its “official name” - zygocactus or, most likely, Schlumbergera bouclei.
The taxonomy of cacti is very confusing, and we will not go into details. Schlumbergera bu-cklei has small light green segments with rounded projections along the edges, without a brush of bristles at the top.
The flowers are lilac-pink, almost radially symmetrical. Another common cultivated species - Schlumbergera truncatus, or truncated (Schlumbergera trun-catus) - is distinguished by jagged protrusions along the edges of dark green segments, bilaterally symmetrical flowers with a distinctly beveled long floral tube.
In nature, Decembrist flowers are mostly bright crimson and more lush. In cultivation there are plants with varieties of the most incredible colors.
Schlumbergers need loose, nutritious soil, spacious shallow containers, watering, fertilizing (root and foliar), spraying and washing with warm water, moderate temperature and moderate sunlight.
Proper cultivation and preventive treatment with insecticides guarantees normal growth and development of the Decembrist for 20 years or more.
Caring for Schlumbergera in the fall
From September, the Decembrist needs less moisture, but more fresh cool air. From mid-September to mid-November there is a light dormant period. Reducing watering in combination with shortening daylight hours and cool conditions contributes to the formation large number flower buds.
Therefore, in the fall, you can continue to keep Schlumbergera on a glazed balcony if the temperature there remains at least +10-8 degrees. Too warm autumn-winter conditions (above +23 degrees) promote strong shoot growth rather than the formation of buds.
The temperature is +17-20 degrees, optimal for laying flower buds only if the day is short. An even lower temperature (+10-15 degrees) promotes the formation of buds, regardless of the length of daylight hours. As soon as Schlumbergera has buds, the plant is placed in a permanent place with a temperature of +15-20 degrees, at night and +20-22 degrees. during the day.
Caring for Schlumbergera in winter
In December and January, Schlumbergera will delight you with flowers. Fruits set only with cross-pollination. If you have two bushes grown from cuttings from one mother plant, then during pollination the fruits will not set; you need plants that are not closely related.
Water the plant regularly and apply potassium-phosphorus fertilizers for cacti once after coloring the buds. You should not move the pot or turn the other side towards the light - the buds may fall off. With the end of flowering, a period of rest begins. It is necessary to reduce watering and keep the plant cool at a temperature of +10-15 degrees.
Spring. At the end of April or in May, Decembrist can be propagated and replanted. But you should not replant it every year, only when the plant becomes cramped in the pot.
The soil mixture is prepared from leaf, turf land and sand (2:1:1). The desired acidity is almost neutral, slightly acidic (pH 5.5-6.5). It is good to add a small amount of crushed charcoal to the prepared mixture (you can also use activated tablets). Drainage is placed at the bottom. The dishes for planting should not be too loose.
It is advisable that the diameter of the pot be greater than the height. This is especially important for the so-called hanging (hanging) specimens. Decembrists grow well and look amazingly beautiful in wicker baskets.
After 8-15 years, Schlumbergera bouclei loses its external attractiveness due to suberization of the trunk, main skeletal branches and their weak branching at the base. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically replace old plants with young ones. By the way, in S. truncata, the skeletal branches at the base are less susceptible to suberization.
Reproduction of Schlumbergera
Schlumbergera is propagated in April-May. stem cuttings of 2-3 segments. Carefully unscrewed from the mother plant and slightly dried for 2 days, they easily take root in damp sand, soil or water.
Young Decembrist plants bloom in very small bushes of several segments. They are especially decorative because of the contrast between the small stem and the relatively large flower.
Caring for Schlumbergera in summer
In summer, Schlumbergera grows and gains strength. At this time, she needs warm maintenance, diffused light, a shower and watering with soft water as the soil dries out. Fertilizing is carried out once a month since March with organic and mineral fertilizers, alternating them.
The best fertilizers are “Agricola” and “Garden of Miracles” for cacti (the dosage is indicated on the container). Mullein is a good organic choice. Foliar feeding is carried out from May to August, sprayed 2 weeks after applying root feeding. In August, watering is gradually reduced and fertilizing is stopped for better maturation of young segments.
The density and decorativeness of the crown must be regulated by shaping the plants. At the beginning of summer, the growing shoots are pinched. This will make them thicker, denser and force them to branch, which will have a positive effect on the abundance of subsequent flowering. Unbranched shoots that grow deep into the bush or are improperly formed (more elongated, elongated, curved) should be shortened.
Schlumbergera is photophilous. In summer, in conditions of one-sided lighting, Schlumbergera bushes often lean to one side. The latter is easy to avoid. In summer, the pot with the plant is occasionally turned the other side towards the light.
Schlumbergera vaccination
Those who like to experiment can be offered to grow grafted Decembrist in the form of a tree. Other types of cacti are used as rootstocks: pereskia, cylindrical cereus, prickly pear.
It is better to start vaccination at the beginning of summer. The top of a rooted young pereskia (or other rootstock cactus) is cut off with a sharp knife, then the stem is slightly split on top and a 3-segmented Schlumbergera cutting is inserted into this split. Secure with a thin needle and tie the grafting site with thread. When the sections grow together, the leaves and thorns are removed from the pereskia and the bandage is removed.
As soon as the Decembrist develops a crown, it is tied to a peg to prevent breaking off. But keep in mind that grafted plants are short-lived - they grow quickly and lose their shape, and are often affected by bacterial rot.
Mistakes when growing Schlumbergera
The biggest mistake is that the owner thinks that if the plant is undemanding, then it is not necessary to pay much attention to it. As a result, the flower lives on its own from watering to watering. And then the problems begin.
Falling off of segments and buds. The main reasons for the shedding of segments are infection with red spider mite or death of roots. It is incorrectly believed that the segments and buds fall off due to lack of moisture, and they begin to water abundantly. This is unacceptable! Even with frequent lack of watering, the Decembrist is more likely to wilt than begin to shed segments.
First you need to carefully examine it. If the base is yellowish, with small rusty specks, the mite is “working.”
It can be seen through a magnifying glass.
If neither a mite nor any traces of its activity are found, check how firmly the plant is held in the ground. It sways - it means something is wrong with the roots. The best decision- perform an emergency transplant.
fibrous root system Schlumberger, like most other epiphytic cacti, is weak, easily rots or dies due to any disturbances (hypothermia or overheating, drying out, waterlogging, souring of the substrate, burns with a concentrated fertilizer solution, pest damage).
If during replanting it is clear that the roots are unhealthy, they need to be cleared of soil, dead parts cut off, then washed with hot water (+40-55 degrees), dried and the bush replanted in a new soil mixture and in a new or disinfected old flowerpot.
The first time after this, the plant should be watered carefully, often sprayed and kept in a greenhouse or under a plastic cap.
The fall of segments and buds can also be explained by stress caused by a sudden change in living conditions.
The cause may also be disturbances associated with a lack of any nutrients in the soil.
Finally, diseases caused by microorganisms are rare among Decembrists. They manifest themselves in various spots, drying out of young shoots, and the affected segments also fall off. It should be borne in mind that a small number of segments also fall off in healthy, normally developing plants - as a consequence of the natural formation of the crown.
The falling off of some buds can also be a normal phenomenon if there are too many of them and the plant simply cannot “feed” so many flowers.
Reset may be caused by too low a temperature, insufficient watering or rearranging the plant.
Buds on Decembrist (usually on hybrids with Schlumbergera truncata) may appear again in the spring. The fall of such untimely buds is normal.
The absence of flowering indicates that the maintenance regime has been violated:
- the plant has not been replanted for many years or is not watered often enough;
- it stands somewhere in a dark corner;
- lacks any nutrients;
- pests tormented.
Schlumbergera transplant
Schlumbergera is a genus of forest epiphytic cacti, traditionally blooming in December-January. Thanks to such unusual flowering times for our latitudes, Schlumbergera is often called “Decembrist” or “Christmas tree” by people. There is another scientific name - Zygocactus.
Most often, two types of zygocacti are found on our windowsills: Schlumbergera bucklei and Schlumbergera truncatus.
Schlumberger Bookley - This old look zygocacti, which is usually called “Decembrist”. Its stems are formed by elongated segments with rounded projections. Shoots – drooping, characteristic hanging plants. Lilac-pink Decembrist flowers appear on the outermost segments of the shoots. Each flower consists of several rows of petals, with long stamens protruding forward.
Schlumberger truncated has jagged projections along the edges of the segments. The long floral tube is slightly slanted, in contrast to the smooth and completely symmetrical corolla of the Zygocactus Bouclei. Thanks to the efforts of breeders, there are many colors of flowers: white, golden, pink, crimson, orange, salmon, lavender and multi-colored.
Place where Schlumbergers are kept
Decembrist at home is not a capricious plant. The optimal place for it is a bright, but not sunny, window sill. Be sure to be cool, without any hot radiators or heating devices nearby. From spring to late autumn, it is best to keep the Christmas tree on a balcony, veranda, or in the courtyard in the open air.
Soil for flattering cacti
In nature, Schlumbergeras are epiphytes that grow in crevices of tree bark. Therefore, the soil for planting Decembrist at home should be as loose, moisture- and breathable as possible.
Proven recipe for soil composition for zygocacti: leaf soil+ coarse sand in a ratio of 1:1. It is recommended to use a small amount of charcoal and peat as an additive to this mixture.
Schlumbergeras are transplanted once every 1-2 years. This is not done immediately after flowering, but during the resumption of growth (the beginning of the growing season) - from mid-March to the end of April.
For replanting, select a pot 2 cm larger in diameter than the previous one. The height of the pot can be small, since the root system of zygocacti is superficial and does not go deep into the ground. Drainage holes and a drainage layer (expanded clay, foam plastic, pieces of broken brick), 2-3 cm thick, are required.
Schlumbergers talk about the transplant in a video:
Decembrist: care at home
Decembrist care varies depending on the season. During the year, this plant goes through several periods. Let's call them like this:
- Growing season – from mid-March to September;
- The first dormant period (preparation for flowering) is October;
- Flowering period – November – January;
- The second dormant period is February - mid-March.
Let's look at the rules for caring for Schlumbergera in each of these periods.
Growing season – from mid-March to September
During this period, the Decembrist flower is experiencing a time of active growth. It is growing in size and expanding into new segments. At this time, the plant can be kept on a ventilated windowsill, balcony or in the yard. Best of all - in the fresh air, in the thin shade of trees.
In the summer, Schlumbergera is regularly sprayed with warm water and watered as the earthen clod dries out. Under no circumstances should you overfill! Schlumbergera is prone to rotting at the slightest overwatering.
Caring for Schlumbergera at home in the summer includes fertilizing with nitrogenous or universal fertilizers once every 2 weeks.
The ideal summer temperature for zygocacti is 20-23° C.
In summer, it is better to take Schlumbergera out onto a balcony, loggia, veranda or courtyard. During the growing season, light and fresh air are very important for the plant. Dormant period (preparation for flowering) – October
During this period, the plant gains strength before flowering and begins to lay flower buds. Whether it will bloom this year or not will depend on how well you care for the Decembrist plant in October.
In October, Schlumbergera needs less moisture and daylight hours. Coolness and fresh air, on the contrary, there should be more. Optimal temperatures for autumn maintenance – 10-18° C.
If Schlumbergera was on the balcony or in the open air in the summer, if there is no frost, do not bring it into the apartment until November. Let it freeze - this promotes the formation of flower buds. Optimum temperatures for autumn keeping are 10-18° C. Schlumbergera also tolerates short-term temperature drops of up to 3-5° C.
During this period, Decembrist should be watered rarely. Only when the leaf segments begin to shrink and lose turgor. Watering is best done not with water, but with brewed tea. A huge secret of flower growers: the Decembrist produces more flower buds from tea than from expensive fertilizer. According to some reports, after such “tea ceremonies” even problematic, never-blooming Decembrists bloom.
Closer to November, be sure to feed Schlumbergera with fertilizer for flowering plants - this will also promote long and abundant flowering.
Flowering period – November – January
At the end of October or early November, the Decembrist is brought into more warm room(if the plant was on the windowsill, do not change anything). The plant begins to be watered abundantly (preferably with warm brewed tea), and potassium-phosphorus fertilizer is applied. To form strong buds, Decembrist is watered with a solution of calcium nitrate or infusion eggshells. The infusion is made as follows: eggshells (raw) are washed, filled with water, left for a day and used for watering.
After about a week, buds begin to form. Optimum temperatures for flowering are 19-22° C during the day and 15-20° C at night.
During budding and flowering, you cannot turn the pot with Decembrist in relation to the light. It is best not to touch the plant at all, do not move it from place to place, or wash it.
Schlumbergera blooms can last until January Rest period – February-March
After flowering, the Decembrist plant is formed, that is, the upper segments on the shoots are unscrewed. This stimulates good branching and the formation of a dense bush.
During the dormant period, Schlumbergera is watered after the top layer of the earthen clod has dried, and excessive drying is not allowed.
Reproduction of Schlumbergera bush
Decembrist is propagated by cuttings, or rather, apical shoots with 1 or several segments. It is better to do this in the spring and autumn. The cuttings are unscrewed from mother bush, wither for a day (less than possible) and bury it in loose, moist soil to about 1/4 of the height. Segments take root very simply and quickly; no additional tricks are required for this.
Schlumbergera cuttings easily take root in a cup of loose soil Decembrist flower: possible difficulties in care
1. Leaf segments wrinkle.
Reason: lack of moisture or, conversely, flooding. Decembrist, which lacks moisture, shrivels the segments, but they quickly restore their fleshy appearance after watering. Literally in a day the flower will look green, shiny, healthy. With a flooded flower, this number will not work. If there are clinical manifestations bay, then most likely the plant has already begun to rot. Take it out of the pot and inspect the roots. If there are rotting parts, it is best to tear the plant from the root and re-root the top. This is easy to do, there shouldn't be any difficulties.
2. Segments turned red
Reason: the Decembrist was frozen. At temperatures below 5° C, the forest cactus becomes brown in color. There is nothing wrong with this; when placed in warm conditions, the initial green color is being restored.
3. The buds have fallen off
Reason: turning the pot in relation to the light source, poor watering, draft.
Reason: failure to maintain the required temperature, poor soil, poor lighting.
