bloomin' miracle

The common holiday cacti is a native of southeastern Brazil (where it is called the “May” cactus) and propagated in Britain 150 years ago. Somehow it has become attached to the holiday season and is known variously as the Christmas cactus, the Thanksgiving cactus and the Easter cactus, depending on who owns any particular plant and, thus, has the naming rights. It’s not normally a particularly attractive plant but it’s one of those fool-proof bits of greenery that is good to have about the house along with your ficus tree and snake plant. But unlike those two stalwarts, this time of year your schlumbergera truncata can reward your lack-of-attention with a spectacular gift of beauty. In the past mine has been a Christmas cactus but this year it is starting to bloom now; and it looks like it could very well peak on Thanksgiving, November 22. It’s gorgeous and a bloomin’ miracle!