Schlumbergera truncata
An easy-to-care-for epiphytic cactus with flattened, segmented stems that are pendulous, blooming in winter with pink, red, or white tubular flowers, thriving indoors in humidity with good drainage and partial shade, and easily propagated from stem cuttings using a soak-and-dry watering approach.
Common Names
Thanksgiving Cactus, Holiday Cactus, Christmas Cactus, Crab Cactus, False Christmas Cactus, Zygocactus, Claw Cactus, Winter Cactus, Lobster Cactus
Summary
Originating in the coastal rainforests of southeastern Brazil, this epiphytic cactus forms a pendulous, multi-branched habit with flat stems bearing claw-like marginal teeth, stems reach about 12 inches tall and 24 inches wide, and tubular flowers appear in winter in colors red, pink, white, or orange, in cultivation, it prefers bright indirect light and a well-draining, slightly acidic soil, indoor temperatures around 60-70°F with cooler nights aiding flowering, keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged, watering when the top 1-2 inches dry, humidity moderate to high, propagation is easy from 2-3 segment stem cuttings, fertilize with a balanced fertilizer every 2-4 weeks in spring and summer, flowering is induced by short days and long nights, such as about 14 hours of darkness daily for several weeks, commonly grown as a holiday houseplant in hanging baskets and hardy in USDA zones 10-11
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
12-24 inches
Spread
12-24 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 10a-12b
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally partial shade.
Soil Type
Well-draining, airy, acidic soil, a mix of peat moss, perlite, and orchid bark in equal parts, or a commercial cactus/succulent mix
Soil Drainage
Well-drained, moisture-retentive soil with good aeration; include perlite or vermiculite to improve drainage (e.g., 60–80% potting soil + 20–40% perlite) and avoid heavy, waterlogged mixes.
Soil pH
6.0-8.0
Bloom Color
Red, Pink, White, Orange, Yellow, Gold, Purple/Lavender, Peach, Magenta, Bi-colored, Multicolored
Bloom Time
Fall to Winter
Foliage Color
Green
Fall Foliage Color
Green
Leaf Lifecycle
Other — leafless (modified stems instead of leaves)
Growth Rate
Fast
Seasons of Interest
Fall and Winter
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Cuttings, Layering, Division
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts hummingbirds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (Haw.) Moran
- Publication
- in Gentes Herbarum 8: 329. 1953.
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Caryophyllales
- Family
- Cactaceae
- Genus
- Schlumbergera
Synonyms
Zygocactus altensteinii Zygocactus truncatus Cactus truncatus Cereus truncatus Epiphyllum bridgesii Epiphyllum delicatum Epiphyllum elegans Epiphyllum guedneyrii Epiphyllum purpurascens Epiphyllum ruckeri Epiphyllum ruckerianum Epiphyllum salmoneum Epiphyllum smithianum Epiphyllum truncatum Epiphyllum truncatum var. bridgesii Epiphyllum violaceum Epiphyllum truncatum var. altensteinii Schlumbergera truncata var. altensteinii Zygocactus truncatus var. delicatus Schlumbergera truncata var. delicata Zygocactus delicatus Epiphyllum truncatum var. cruentum Epiphyllum truncatum var. magnificum Epiphyllum truncatum var. spectabile Zygocactus bridgesii Epiphyllum altensteinii Epiphyllum truncatum var. wagneri Schlumbergera bridgesii