Christmas cactus, Schlumbergera spp., is an easy-care houseplant that rewards with a profusion of holiday blooms.
In our Christmas cactus growing guide, we talk about best practices for indoor cultivation.
Additional articles address inducing dormancy to encourage blooming, as well as understanding aerial root development.
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Read on to increase your knowledge of this plant even more as we explore potting mixes and the ingredients that are most beneficial for your Christmas cactus plant.
Let’s start with a glimpse at Schlumbergera in the wild.
The Christmas Cactus in NatureThe natural habitat of Schlumbergera species is the rainforests of South America.
They are epiphytes, plants that use their roots to cling to other plants or rocks for support, while doing no harm to their host.
Their sole sources of sustenance are the air, rainfall, and leaf litter that collects around them.
And although one might think that tropical flora thrives on constant moisture, the roots of Christmas cacti need to be well aerated, so they never oversaturate and rot.
Potting Mix EssentialsOnce we understand the conditions under which a plant grows in nature, we can begin to replicate the environment for indoor gardening.
For the Christmas cactus, this means that we need to meet four basic needs:
Provide support in the form of a pot and substrate, such as soil or a soilless potting medium, to hold plants upright.Supply nutrition because there is no leaf litter.Deliver water, as there is no rainfall.Inhibit oversaturation via optimal airflow and adequate drainage.These requirements can be fulfilled
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