please identify me.......Christmas Cactus

[Riz]

My mum and dad bought this indoor plant as a cutting from a car boot sale last season.. and this season it has really bloomed,, its a real beauty, but none of us knows the name of it,, when it flowers the flower looks like fuschia.. i really wanted to take some cuttings from it so i can grow it indoors in my house, but i need to know how and when i need to take cuttings from it :)

[~Obsidian~]

I think thats a christmas cactus?

[Riz]

thanks oby

i think it is..

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.unixsupport.ca/information/garden/Zygo_Cactus_files/image003.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.unixsupport.ca/information/garden/Zygo_Cactus.htm&h=397&w=559&sz=42&tbnid=r3XOywuFO1FQaM::&tbnh=94&tbnw=133&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dchristmas%2Bcactus&usg=__NRfFCC8iitfsKUg7IEefTvmhB2Y=&ei=wgHySczXHdKD-QbSl7jxCw&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=5&ct=image

[Kirsten]

Yes it is! My parents have one that blooms half red and half pink (must be two plants squashed in the same container) and it's gorgeous :)

[~Obsidian~]

No problem :) someone just recently sent me a cactus so I was looking at them, it was fresh in my memory.

[dhakiyya]

dunno what it is, but my mum's got one just like it. if I remember I'll ask her what it is next time she skypes me

edit: oh yeah I see you found out already :p

[Riz]

Yes it is! My parents have one that blooms half red and half pink (must be two plants squashed in the same container) and it's gorgeous :)

makes sense, as i was reading they love being rootbound :) who would have thought an indoor plant could produce such vibrant colours...

[Riz]

did some reading, and took loads of cuttings from the mother plant,

ill let ya know how i get on !!

thanks everyones..........

[Riz]

i took cuttings of the xmas cacti, really easy to do too

now i have several in pots growing, with new leaves

pics later on..............

[Riz]

some pics of the cuttings i taken for the xmas cactuii, and left at windowsills for the past 4 weeks.. all have rooted and the plan is to pot them all in ONE container on a later date.

[~Obsidian~]

They're all rooted and stuff? That was fast! Did you use rooting powder?

[Riz]

NO, no rooting powder

just cut of three segments ( leaves ) and inserted one segment fully into the soil and then misted the leaves with water everyday for a couple of weeks and then i saw tiny strands emerging from the segments and they have rooted. 100% rooting. The top leaves is new GROWTH..

[~Obsidian~]

Dude I know thats new growth, was just asking about the rooting :)

[Riz]

uh ok..

well i dint use any powder :)

[Riz]

i potted them all in one container... left it on the floor near the bay window.. they like being root bound, so i put them in a smallish container... i planted some on the rim of the container so they will droop down over the sides, and planted one in the middle of the pot.

[Riz]

update..

my mum got a xmas cactus from a car boot sale and i cut some segments off it and planted them in a container and they are looking really good ;)

[Riz]

:GreenThumbs::GreenThumbs::GreenThumbs:

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.unixsupport.ca/information/garden/Zygo_Cactus_files/image003.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.unixsupport.ca/information/garden/Zygo_Cactus.htm&h=397&w=559&sz=42&tbnid=r3XOywuFO1FQaM::&tbnh=94&tbnw=133&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dchristmas%2Bcactus&usg=__NRfFCC8iitfsKUg7IEefTvmhB2Y=&ei=wgHySczXHdKD-QbSl7jxCw&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=5&ct=image


In September and October, Christmas cactus plants should be kept in a cool room where temperatures will remain around 50 degrees, give or take a few degrees. Be sure not to expose them to freezing temperatures. It's also very important they be kept in a room where no artificial light will be turned on at night.
Actually the key to getting Christmas cactus to flower during the holiday season, is the proper light exposure, correct temperatures and limited watering. So during the fall months, the Christmas cactus should be placed in a spot where it receives indoor indirect bright light during the daylight hours but total darkness at night. (Much the same exposure you would give a poinsettia except a Christmas poinsettia requires warm temperatures whereas the Christmas cactus needs a spot where the temperatures are cool during the fall months.)

Since the Christmas cactus is a tropical plant it will require watering on much the same basis as any other type of tropical plant. A good procedure to follow is to water the plants thoroughly and then allow about the top inch of soil to dry before watering again. However, during the fall and winter months, the plants should be watered less frequently in order to get them to bloom.

Christmas cactus require about 50 to 60 percent humidity. So it's a good practice to place a glass, vase or tray of water near the plant. As the water evaporates it will provide the humidity the cactus needs. A humidity tray is another method of providing the humidity the Christmas cactus requires. This is done by filling a waterproof saucer with gravel, then adding water halfway up the gravel. Place the pot on the gravel surface.

The Christmas cactus should never be placed near a door that opens and closes to the outside. Likewise, keep it away from heating ducts or near the fireplace or drafty areas.

[Riz]

today i separated the xmas cuttings in two ceramic pots which i grew the mango kernels in.. i washed the pots out first.. and i planted some cuttings in each pot... i may go round to my mums and snip some more cuttings to fill the ceramic pots up on a later date :)

[Riz]

ill be surprised if i can get them to flower this season though..... the house is warm due to it being winter, so finding a cool place indoors is going to be a challenge.. maybe the bathroom !?

[Riz]

update....

growing albeit really slow, thats to be expected though... the ash in the pot is incense stick i usually burn now and again :)

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/IMGP3308.jpg

[~Obsidian~]

I got this thread confused with another one, so I adjusted the title a bit :fighting0010:

Pretty cacti :)

[Riz]

another update on the xmas cactus cuttings..

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/DSC00613.jpg

[Riz]

check it out, it has flowered after so long :)

sorry about the quality of the pics...

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/Photo1269.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/Photo1270.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/Photo1273.jpg