Sunday, December 21, 2008

Christmas Cactus

Christmas at my parents Tennessee home would not be the same without moms beautiful Christmas Cactus! This beautiful plant blooms like clockwork every year by Christmas Morning just in time to greet Santa.

The plant calls the screen porch home during the summer months and a spot by a west window inside during the cold months. It gets water and that is about all. It has never let my mom and dad down with its beautiful blooms.

The Christmas Cactus comes to us from Brazil so I don't believe I will be having any CHRISTMAS CACTUS, In the Garden... here in Georgia.

31 comments:

  1. Hi Skeeter, how wonderful to have that stalwart bloom on time for your parents every year! Your green thumb must be inherited. :-)
    Frances

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  2. What a pretty sight! It's hard to imagine that something as beautiful as this needs very little care!

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  3. Good morning all!

    It SURE is pretty Skeeter. I agree with Frances you must have an inherited green thumb. Have a great day! I hope it is still warm there-cold as heck here and WINDY.

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  4. Hi Skeeter, really pretty flowers. Have a great day --the fun will begin soon --getting everyone off to church and then a party later:) Ciao!

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  5. They are such fun plants. I have three of them now, and two have already bloomed.

    Merry Christmas.~~Dee

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  6. Hello,

    Look at this blooming beauty!
    I have three! And they are starting to bloom...great natural Christmas decorations.

    Happy Holidays!

    ~ Gabriela ~

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  7. Hi Skeeter,

    Lovely blooms on the CC and it might win the prize for largest Christmas Cactus seen this year! Happiest of Holidays to you!

    gail

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  8. Hello again,

    I have moved my blog, find me now at: http://gabrieladelworth.wordpress
    .com

    Thanks.

    ~ Gabriela ~

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  9. That cactus is a beauty! It would not live long at my house.

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  10. I was thinking about this plant the other day, I want one soooo bad. They come in different colors don't they? Your parents cactus is beautiful!

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  11. It is absolutely gorgeous Skeeter, your Mom and Dad must be very proud of it. I am not only babysitting Christy's cats, but also her plants. She has several small CC's and has had them 3 years. They have gotten buds before but then the buds fall off. Right now there is a purple and an orange one with a bloom! My mother always had one and I always loved it.

    Christy got in after midnight. Jay had to go to Boston to pick her up. Sarah came over an hour ago and Josh is a happy baby to see his Auntie Christy. He sure did remember her. He has been putting on a BIG show for her. So much so he ran smack into the marble top table with his face that knocked him on his butt and went head over heels over a toy train. Both times he got up and laughed!!!!

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  12. Beautiful, beautiful blooms. How nice it always blooms in time for Santa!

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  13. What a beautiful bloomer just in time for Christmas. Happy Holidays Skeeter to you & yours!

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  14. Good Morning All,
    What a beautiful CC Skeeter. I know your mom loves it. They are care free plants which makes it nice & then to be rewarded with such beauty.
    I have 3 that are in bud but doubt any will bloom by Christmas. I have several colors & am waiting for most to start blooming. Do they have to be a certain "age" to bloom?
    Mine are Pink, Red, Lavender, Yellow, Fuchsia, Magenta & White. Oh and I have an Orange also. If there was another color I might consider getting one. lol
    Have a great day all.

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  15. I hope Josh is okay! Great Christine got in and Jay went and picked her up. It is not a fun experience flying at all.

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  16. What a great way to set your calendar, to the blooming of the cactus? My mother had one that was kept so indoors and dark and sheltered that the poor thing never had any idea what time of year it was. It's clear you're treating yours really well! Enjoy!

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  17. Hello everyone! I am late getting myself going this morning. All this fun is catching up to me so I need a day of rest before we kick into high gear again....

    Frances, My mom would probably say different but dad would agree! tee hee, mom I know you are reading this... :-)

    Kanak, This is one plant that my parents were lucky that none of their cats have ever seemed interested in so it has survived being a house plant....

    Tina, I think the gene was passed down from many in my family from grandparents on and all in my young life that had flowers and gardens. I have always enjoyed them as do my brothers! Front came through with 1/10 inch of rain fall. Now windy and humidity is gone and cooler but nothing like you are getting in TN. 50'ish here and do-able for this warm natured gal... lol

    Anonymous, Oh parties are so much fun this time of year! Have a cookie for me... :-)

    Dee, you are lucky to have three as they are so pretty this time of year. They really do brighten up the house with nature! Merry Christmas to you and your family as well...

    Cameron, they are beauties aren’t they? I wish I could have one but my cats would munch it down to nothing and may get sick...

    Gabriela, They are true beauties no doubt. I was just telling Dee how lucky she is to have 3 and you have three also! That must be the magic number to have. With cats, I have a total of zero. Sigh. Happy Holidays to you also. Thanks for the sight update. :-)

    Gail, This Cactus is a big one and so low maintenance too. My parents cats dont even seem to mess with it so they are lucky. Am sure my girls would nibble away. Happy Holidays to you also! Hope you have big plans...

    Dot, you may be surprised as how well they do with little care. My issue is cats so none for me...

    Dawn, I dont know much about them but do know they come in different colors. Read Lola's comment to see how many different colors she has. How lucky to have so much color this time of year...

    Jean, you are such a good grandmother to take care of pets and plants for Christy! Am glad she arrived in Maine safely! There has been some nasty weather going on and hampering sky travels as well as road conditions. Of course Josh remembers his Auntie Christy! he is a smart little boy and apparently has a hard head as well. :-)

    Cindy, Perfect colors for the house during Christmas and the holidays! Am sure it puts a smile on Santa's face :-)

    Racquel, A perfectly timed blooming for this beauty! Happy Holidays to you as well...

    Lola, my my you have so many and in different colors is great! I am not sure on their blooming status but do know that there are different ones that are called Easter cactus and not Christmas as they bloom in the spring. I think there are 3 different ones total as I recall someone posted on them a while back. Can anyone take credit for that posting as my mind is blank at the moment? I had only heard of the Christmas cactus until reading that posting....

    Tina, Remember when flying use to be fun? Those days are so long gone for us now. sniff sniff. I have only flown twice in 8 years and that was too much for me. I will take driving any day over the hassles of flying. Ah, change is not good for flyers....

    Christy, I don’t know if you are checking in here as you have so much to catch up on but just wanted to say even though we have never met, I feel like I know you through your mom, I just wanted to say how proud the Saint and I are of you! Now go give all those furry babies of yours lots of kisses to make up for the missed ones. :-)

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  18. Lostlandscape, What a shame your moms cactus was so confused but we all get a bit confused at times :-) I don't know too much about house plants but do know enough to know they must get some sunshine occasionally... Have a good day!

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  19. The Saint and I are off to the yard to clean up more leaves which we hope is the last time this year! Darn oaks... snicker snicker....

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  20. i used to buy these anually at christmas when i lived in fl. they are beautiful.

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  21. Skeeter, how long has your mother had this particular cactus? It's gorgeous by the way.

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  22. Marmee, Do you have any Christmas cactus now? Seeing how pretty my moms is each year, I would love to have one but then the cats are an issue for us. arggg. Love my cats so they stay and I reckon, no Christmas cactus for me... sigh...

    TC, It is a beauty. I am not sure how old the Christmas cactus is but has been around for a long time. I will have to ask my mom...

    She emailed me to inform me that during the summer it is facing north on the screen porch and during the winter it is facing south and not west like I had thought. Sorry for the mistake. She is getting a chuckle out of everyone thinking she has a green thumb! She loves flowers, trees and plants but pretty much leaves them to dads care as he has better luck then she. But this is one she calls her baby...

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  23. Your mother must be doing something right to have this blooming right at Christmas each year! This reminds me of a beautiful cactus my Grandmother had which also bloomed every Christmas. Mine always bloomed at Thanksgiving or Easter:)

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  24. That's the nicest Christmas cactus I've ever seen.

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  25. Very beautiful. I put mine out in the garden to enjoy the summer. Today with 2 foot of snow on the ground Christmas Cactus enjoys the view from the window.
    Merry Christmas
    troutbirder

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  26. Rose, I was just chatting about how I think there are three different types of this cactus. I think you are correct in Christmas Cactus, Thanksgiving Cactus and Easter cactus being the 3 types! I could not remember who posted on them a while back but think you have it figured out for me!

    My little family, It is a beauty and so large too. We enjoy it this time of year with its pretty blooms. It just perks up any dreary winter room!

    Troutbirder, Good thing your CC is in the house as it would surely freeze in the cold stuff. We are getting a bit colder then it has been the past week but hey, it is winter now so to be expected. Merry Christmas to you and your family also!

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  27. What a wealth of blooms. I LOVE Christmas cacti. They're such 'raising the spirits' plants at this time of year.

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  28. Lindab, The Christmas Cacti, is a great bloomer this time of year and really does brighten up a room!

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  29. I dearly love a Christmas cactus, and haven't had one for a long time. I'm determined to find a lovely one soon!
    Brenda

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  30. That is a nice Christmas cactus. I have a huge one that my grandma gave our family 30 odd years ago. It flowers late fall and early spring, never at Christmas. I think it is confused! I should do a post on it in the new year.

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