Sad Holiday Cactus

My poor holiday cactus. Leaves are turning red. This can happen when the plant gets too much sun, and/or has a magnesium deficiency. I moved it to a less-sunny area and treated it with a foliar spray of epsom salt. I'll spray again in 2 weeks and assess the situation. I will likely re-pot the plant, too.

My "Christmas Cactus" is Really a Thanksgiving Cactus

And not just because it's blooming now, just in time for Thanksgiving. There are many different types of this cactus. Thanksgiving cactus has flat leaves with serrated edges, and the flower looks like a bird in flight. Christmas cactus has smoother-edged leaves and they tend to spill over the edge of a planter, like a vine. The flowers are more like full, layered trumpets. Thanksgiving cactus above. Christmas cactus below. See the differences?

Yellow Christmas Cactus

Yeah, I know there's some kind of special care to make sure these plants bloom for Christmas only. But I treat them like all the other houseplants, so they bloom whenever they feel like it. The reds just finished their cycle.

Christmas Cactus Reblooms

Well, this is the first time I remember this happening...the Christmas cactus is putting on an out-of-season show.

Red Christmas Cactus

This bloom isn't fully open yet...and I don't remember seeing one this red last year. It's welcome anyway!

Yellow Christmas Cactus

And another one popped. The Christmas cactus colors are blooming closer together this year.

Christmas Cactus Already?

A bright surprise this week...the first blooms on the Christmas cactus plants.

Red Christmas Cactus Wakes Up

The red Christmas cactus is the last to bloom this year.

Magenta Christmas Cactus Bloom

I thought my Christmas cactus plants weren't going to bloom this time around, but instead, they were just very late. This magenta bloom is in its full glory this week.

Christmas Cactus

A peachy Christmas cactus bloom. Last year, both of my plants were full of flowers, and this year, hardly any. That's how it is with this plant for me.

Yellow Christmas Cactus

Another Christmas Cactus is blooming. This is the first year I've seen the yellow one bloom since I've had this plant.

Christmas Cactus in Bloom for Halloween

A sign of an early winter? All of my Christmas Cactus plants are blooming right now. I don't usually see that until the middle of next month.