The poinsettia may be the most popular holiday plant, but Christmas cactus - in full bloom during the holidays - creates its own show. Although it's a member of the cactus family, it's native area is Brazil's humid forests. Its requirements are slightly different from the needs of a desert cactus plant.

Some confusion exists, because there are several types of cactus sold during the holiday season. Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) blooms near Thanksgiving, about a month before Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii). The Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri) is Spring flowering and blooms near Easter time. These cacti are differentiated by the leaflet and stem. Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti have sharp teeth along the leaf margin; where as the Easter cactus has smooth undulations.

• These cacti like well-drained soil, consisting of two parts potting soil and one part clean sand. Allow soil to dry slightly between waterings, because the plant does not tolerate heavy wet mixes.
• Fertilizing should take place after flowering and as plants start new growth in spring.
• The plants adapt to low light in the home, but produce more blooms if exposed to increased light intensity. Keep the plant in a sunny, indoor location during winter months. Plants can be moved outdoors in the summer and used as hanging baskets, but should be kept in shady or semi-shady locations. The leaves turn reddish if exposed to too much sunlight.

To produce buds, the plant must have nighttime temperatures in the high 50's to low 60's. This initiates buds and eliminates the need for a dark period. If you cannot provide cooler nighttime temperatures, place the plant in total darkness each night for six - eight weeks or until buds form. A critical period for the Christmas cactus is during bud formation. The plant does not like to be moved or have its environment changed once buds begin forming. It aborts newly formed buds if placed in a drafty location, or the plant's lighting is changed.

After blooming is finished, prune by pinching or using a sharp knife to cut off several sections. This encourages the plant to branch out, creating a fuller looking plant and more blossoms.

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