Thanksgiving cactus vs. Christmas cactus : Learn how to tell the difference between these festal vacation industrial plant .
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know the difference between a Thanksgiving cactus and aChristmas cactusrequires an eagle eye . These stunningholiday plantsare very similar in appearance , show up in stores at around the same time , and can even now and again be mislabeled . Read on to watch the key characteristic that make their true identities open .
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Christmas Cactus and Thanksgiving Cactus Similarities
Christmas cactus and Thanksgiving cactus are closely pertain , so it ’s soft to mistake them for the same plant . Both grow wild in the mountains of southeastern Brazil , so they favour things on the cool and shady side , unlike the cacti retrieve in desert habitats . This is partially why they make sucheasy - guardianship houseplants , though they do needmore regular wateringthan a desert cactus would .
Both of these holiday cactus plant have flattened , namby-pamby , section green stems , andtechnically they do n’t have folio . They have similar - front flowers bloom in shades of pink , red , icteric , or white . At first glance , the flowers and stems front the same , but each of these features offer clue to help you identify them from one another .
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A Thanksgiving cactus flower has yellow pollen.Credit:Getty Images / Credit:Tom Meaker / EyeEm
The Differences Between Thanksgiving Cactus and Christmas Cactus
1. Stem Segments
you’re able to identify a Thanksgiving cactus by the pointy " tooth " on the side of each stem segment . These tooth are soft , not sharp , and can deviate in sizing , but are almost always visible to some level . base segments on Christmas cactus , on the other hand , want pointed teeth , with more scallop or rounded edges .
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2. Flowers
Another style to tell which sort of cactus you have is to look cautiously at the flowers , which canbloom anytime in the fall or former winter . protrude from each prime , a bunch of prospicient , thin anther will be tipped with pollen . If the color of the pollen is yellow , you more than likely have a Thanksgiving cactus , and if it ’s pinkish , you ’ve obtain a Christmas cactus ( shown above ) .
Thanksgiving cactus(Schlumbergera truncata)was once usually called the " crab claw cactus " before it started being market aroundThanksgiving . It also run by zygocactus at some stores . A Christmas cactus , on the other hand , come from a metal money calledSchlumbergera russellianawith someS. truncata , andpossibly a couple of other species , mixed in . The resulting cross is known asSchlumbergeraxbuckleyi .
3. Growth Habit
The overall shape of the plant life , known as the maturation wont , can also give you a clue . Thanksgiving cactus ( show above ) have a more upright growth habit , while the stems on Christmas cactus run to charge downward .
4. Bloom Time
Your plant ’s bloom metre can be a major clue to its indistinguishability . A Thanksgiving cactus blossom earlier in November , whereas aChristmas cactus will likely bloomin late November or early December .
Thanksgiving-Christmas Cactus Hybrids
In recent years , all sort of unexampled sort have been produced with characteristics that blur the differences between the two species . These are what you ’re more likely to find for sale nowadays , rather of the original mintage - type plant . So if your plant is a young onefrom a garden centeror grocery store , chances are it ’s a major mishmash between Christmas and Thanksgiving cactus species , and mayhap a few other related species .
But if Grandma reach you a cutting off that 50 - twelvemonth - old flora growing on herkitchen counter , you might really have a straight - up Thanksgiving or Christmas cactus with nothing else mix in . It ’s also possible it could be yet another attend - similar plant life known as the Easter cactus , which typically blossom in spring .
Whether you have a Thanksgiving cactus or a Christmas cactus or something with a blended pedigree , you ’ll savour these plants for what they are : soft - to - grow houseplantsthat often grace the holiday with theirlovely flower . These long - live plants can be passed down from generation to generation , or shared with Friend from asmall stem cuttingrooted in abit of damp potting soil .
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