By the end of this month, some of us will no longer be delighted with the flashing lights of the season nor fond of vacuuming up pine needles. We long to just get the house back to normal.

 

As we mentally arrange and rearrange our house, we spot that beautiful Christmas cactus that we just could not resist in November. The plant is still in its prime, with its bright green leaves shaped like crab claws and its funnel-like bright flowers still lovely to behold.

 

The name Christmas cactus does not reflect what this plant is about. Often the label identifies it as Zygocactus, which is not correct. The true Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) blooms around Christmas; its sister, the crab cactus (Schlumbergia truncata), blooms about a month earlier.

 

The difference between the two is relatively small. The Christmas cactus has smaller, more scalloped leaves that tend to droop slightly. Both are botanically classified as epiphytes.

 

Common orchids are probably the best known epiphytes. These plants grow on other objects or plants and get their water from the moist air around them instead of from the soil.

 

The Christmas cacti are from the South American rain forests, where they grow mostly in trees under the main canopy. They root amongst plant debris in tree branches or on the ground in stony areas. They can grow as tall as four feet and just as wide. In their native habitat, they receive as much as 17 inches of rain in the growing season, but only three inches in the dry season. Most of the Christmas cacti in California stores are grown in Half Moon Bay.

 

Although many sources will tell you that Christmas cacti should be considered houseplants outside of Hawaii, they seem to be happy on the Napa Valley floor, as long as they reside on a protected porch or deck with diffused light. They are healthiest at temperatures between 50?F and 70?F and may drop their flowers in hot, dry weather. They will not survive frost. Bring the plant indoors or cover it with a cloth to keep it from freezing. Those living in the hills surrounding Napa Valley should consider it an indoor plant in the winter.

 

The Christmas cactus is not demanding if planted in loose, well-draining soil. A slightly acidic mix of 40 percent perlite and 60 percent peat moss i