In our homes for Christmas, the beautiful spurgeon appears more and more often, i.e. the star of Bethlehem, cyclamen Cyclamen, Hippeastrum cupola, and recently also Helleborus hellebore. However, the plant is forgotten as closely as possible to the Christmas tradition, i.e. the cut slumberger.
Szlumbergera cut Schlumbergera truncata (formerly Zygocactus) from the cactus family Cactaceae, is also called a clod or Christmas cactus, which, as you can easily guess, is related to its flowering at Christmas. The botanical name was given to this plant in honor of the French collector of cacti from over 150 years ago - Federico Schlumberger.Grudnik comes from Brazil, where it grows as an epiphyte on trees in the mountains near Rio de Janeiro. Its shoots consist of flat, fleshy segments up to 6 cm long. On their tops (from the collective areola), carmine-colored flowers with an original structure grow. They are made up of flaps tilted back (or actually sepals of the perianth), embedded in several layers on the tube. Szlumbergera has a bushy habit, but with time its shoots effectively overhang.
Currently, almost exclusively hybrid varieties of the species are grown,having red, pink, purple, orange, white, purple and yellow flowers that develop from late fall until almost the end winter, that is during short days and long nights.
Short days are a necessary condition for the establishment of this plant's flower buds. For this reason, it is classified as a short-day plant. With this in mind, we can alter its flowering time by artificially regulating the length of the day.What does a papilionaceous plant need for it to develop beautifully and to bloom wonderfully in each subsequent year? First of all, it should grow in a bright place, but not in direct sunlight. It feels great on the eastern window sill, as well as on the northern window. In summer, it can be taken out into the garden to a slightly shaded position. During the growth period, the optimal temperature is 18-22ºC.
Growing substrate.The best is humus compost or leaf soil with the addition of sand and acid peat. This plant, as an epiphyte, does not tolerate the alkaline substrate. For this reason, we have to water it quite often and sprinkle it (when there are no flowers yet) with soft water.
Fertilization.Plants during the growth period are fed every four weeks with multi-component liquid fertilizer with high potassium content or with fertilizer intended for cacti.
Dormancy and flowering.In order for the Szlumbergera to bloom every year, we need to provide it with two dormant periods: from August to November and after flowering, usually from February to March.It then requires a temperature of around 15ºC. We water it very sparingly and do not fertilize. When flower buds appear on it after the autumn dormant period, place the plant in a warmer place, gradually increase the dose of water and fertilize it with fertilizer. Plants should not be moved or rotated during flowering. After flowering, flattened shoots usually lose their luster, which is the first sign that plants need a new dormancy.
To overdo it.Szlumberger doesn't like to be over-transplanted, but every 3-4 years it is necessary. We perform the procedure carefully. The best date is spring, after the plants have been dormant for several weeks.
In order for the Christmas cactus to be a beautiful decoration of the Christmas table, we should first put a properly selected casing on its pot or place several pots in a wicker basket. The plant does not have to stand on the table, it may as well enjoy the eyes with the colors of its flowers on the shelf or when placed in suspended pots.We can also put a multi-species composition on the table, in which there will also be clumps.
