Sunday, December 5, 2010

Christmas Cactus/ Today's Flowers

Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata)

I have kept this lovely Thanksgiving cactus for several years in a kitchen window.  I love it's candy cane colours but I confess I treat it badly so was surprised to see it sprouting buds, then bloom.

A white Thanksgiving cactus

This white version was a recent gift. Maybe if I treat it badly it will bloom again next year. What do you think?

If you love flowers -- and who doesn't - check out Today's Flowers at http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

27 comments:

  1. Cactus are forgiving. They seem just glad to be alive. I know in the desert they go from feast to famine. My mother used to have them and some period of time would go before she thought to give them a drink.

    Your cactus seems to be thanking you for something.

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my blogging buddies...

    Patty, and Abe Lincoln
    Brookville, Ohio

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  2. I think they are both beautiful plants and that while you may neglect them to do other, more important things, like take pictures, they love you and will bloom perfectly when they're supposed to. So you can take a picture of them!

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  3. Not a BIG flower guy, but these are simple and beautiful.

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  4. Christmas Cacti has such interesting flowers - completely unexpected from the jagged edges of the plant.

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  5. One of my Christmas cactuses half-bloomed last week. I'm waiting on another in my classroom to bust out at any minute. Love your Superior Snap!

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  6. i don't think i have ever seen a cactus flower in real life. these are beautiful!

    min is at
    http://savorthebite.blogspot.com/2010/12/todays-flowers-18-clitoria-ternatea.html

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  7. it's so pretty!
    perhaps it does like being abused :)

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  8. The white one looks about the same as mine. The other one, we have similar coloring, but I think this one has stronger color at the edges.

    We have a saying in Sweden, if I translate it it is liek this, " dear child has many names". We call this flower November cactus, yoy write christmas cactus and I have also seen thanksgiving cactus. :)

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  9. Lovely flowers! I just this morning discovered buds on an orchid that I have mistreated for 2 years - maybe that's the trick!

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  10. I think Cactus thrive on neglect. They don't like too much water so neglecting to water can't be bad! The blooms are beautiful!

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  11. Nice picture...reminds me of my mom's Christmas cactus.

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  12. These are gorgeous! They are among the flowers which I kill, but I like to admire other's efforts!
    Blessings!

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  13. I have noticed that the worse I treat a houseplant the better it seems to do, when I fuss over one it almost always dies. Beautiful blooms and photos.

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  14. I always think such a humble plant produces these brilliant, exotic looking flowers. Not to much water, they store it in their flat leaves. Mine grow in the fork of trees. They make huge basket specimens.

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  15. In Swedish calls they "Novemberkaktus". I´ve bougth one with white petal as you have here. Very nice captured

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  16. The Thanksgiving Cactus are so beautiful. I used to have a Christmas Cactus that bloomed at Thanksgiving some years and Easter other years.

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  17. What beautiful blooms. Nice photos too.

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  18. The white blossoms are new to me! I sure hope they bloom for you again next year, as the shape of the flowers is so unique!

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  19. lovely, lovely!
    Paz

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  20. Aren't they just lovely. Love the orange color.
    Mistreat them, don't water too much, keep them in the dark---they will thrive. MB

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  21. Your cactus are so beautiful. Love the flowers. I have to admit that I never have had a cactus...

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  22. I'll be the last to say that it's a good idea to treat anything badly so it/he/she will behave better or well! But I do believe - no, I know - that there are souls - and why not cacti - that will bloom despite being treated badly. I've given up even trying to be good to my plants... but fortunately in the tropics everything (native) grows, grows, grows... My flower for today is HERE.

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  23. PS. Bad me... I forgot to say I think both your blooms are eye candy!

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  24. I just love Christmas cactus, your shots are beautiful.

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  25. I have lots of cactus, but none got flowers like this..I too, sometimes tend to neglect my cactus..;p
    Simply beautiful!!

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  26. Ha, ha, bad treatment is what they crave. over water and they die, let them dry out completely and water and they say thank you with flowers.That's the way of the desert.

    The bi-colour surely is a cultivar and indeed very pretty.

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