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Garden Club Why isn't Schlumbergera the house plant of choice at Christmas? Why is it always Poinsettia, Poinsettia, Poinsettia? Is this the Rodney Dangerfield of holiday plants? Maybe one of its common names, "Crab Cactus" is the culprit. It hails from the mountains on the southeast coast of Brazil, a country known for holiday exuberance. In fact, that it is why we also call it, "Christmas Cactus," "Thanksgiving Cactus," and "Easter or Whitsun Cactus." The small plant clings to life on trees and in rock crags enjoying the high humidity, warm temperatures and shade from equatorial trees. The cultivars of Schlumbergera fall into two main groups: The Truncata Group with pointed teeth and yellow pollen generally flower early-around Thanksgiving. The Buckley Group have rounded teeth and pink pollen and usually bloom around Christmas. The fruits of Schlumbergera do not open spontaneously when ripe, and appear to be adapted for distribution by birds, which eat the seeds and pulp contained in the fruit. Birds have been observed removing seeds which had stuck to their beaks by rubbing them on tree branches, where the seeds might be able to germinate. Attempts have also been made to classify cultivars by color. A difficulty is that the flowers of many cultivars exhibit different colors depending on the temperature during bud formation and growth. In particular, temperatures below 14° C (57° F) produce pink tones in otherwise white and yellow cultivars, and deepen the color in pink and red cultivars. The availability of iron to the plant has also been suggested to affect flower color. In the United States, cultivars are propagated in large numbers for sale before Thanksgiving. In Europe, plants are mainly sold later in the year, in the period before Christmas. Moving the plant from a florist or greenhouse environment to a home environment in winter where the humidity goes from 60 percent or higher to one where the humidity is 10 percent or less will cause the flower buds to drop. The plant should receive 13 or more hours of continuous darkness starting around the end of September or the beginning of October. This action sets the flower buds after about six weeks. For extended blooming, try to keep the plant in a cool setting away from forced-air heating vents or any sudden cold drafts from open windows or doors. During the spring and early summer, fertilize every 14 days with a 10-10-10 mix or with something similar. For all kinds of information on working with this holiday plant a good web site for is at www.ext.nodak.edu/extnews/hortiscope/ houseplnts/xmascctus.htm. ~ Leonard Tavernetti HIGH QUALITY HIGH STANDARDS INTERIOR & EXTERIOR ! Four Seasons Winter Special 10% off 3+ Room Interior Painting Offer good with ad until January 1, 2014 3rd Generation Painter Contracting For Over 30 Years Minor Repairs: Exterior Wood & Stucco, Interior Drywall, Wood Trim Thank you in advance for the opportunity to give you Lic. #423807 a free estimate! 909-208-6142 Bonded CLUBS & GROUPS | FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | DECEMBER 2013 37

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