Christmas Cactus
by Lori rose
It all started with two little plants—an old-man cactus (Cephalocereus senilis) with curly white hair instead of spines, and a zebra cactus (Haworthia fasciata) that looks like a smaller, slimmer aloe plant (Aloe vera). I was about five years old, and I fell in love with them while shopping at a nursery with my mom. I thought we were going to a place full of babies, but it was a place full of plants. I was awestruck at all the different shapes, sizes and colors of plants that could be grown in a house … in my room, in fact, on my windowsill. My life changed that day. I’ve never been without at least one plant to keep me company in the house.
When I moved back home after college, I brought along my zebra cactus (yes, the very same one, they can live longer than people!), and I was welcomed back to my room with a new coat of paint and a beautiful Marble Queen pothos (Epipremnum aureum) hanging from the ceiling in a corner near the not-so-sunny window. When I bought my very first townhouse, I was given a ficus tree (Ficus benjamina) and an umbrella plant (Schefflera arboricola) as housewarming gifts. Both have moved with me half a dozen times and are in fine shape.
Flowering houseplants are great friends, especially the ones that flower during the dreary months of winter like Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) or Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata), or African violets (Saintpaulia ionantha). The herb Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) makes a beautiful houseplant, and a mature one can be clipped into a cone shape and decorated like a little Christmas tree. And I’m always amazed at a red geranium (genus Pelargonium) flowering in the house in January.
So, which plants will thrive in your home? To help you make that decision, first identify places where you might like to have a plant. Then decide how big you want the plant to be. Trees and large plants make bold statements and are unique room accessories. Smaller plants, either by themselves or clustered together, soften a room and give it color, even if there are no flowers. Once you’ve decided where and how large you’d like your indoor plants to be, study the light conditions of the room, particularly near the places you’d like to have plants. In which direction do the windows face? Is the light direct (if it fades the upholstery, then it is direct) at any time during the day? Is the light indirect, or even shadowy? Since the sun shifts over the course of the day, and the seasons, try to get the best idea you can about how much light your plant will receive. Now you’re armed with the information needed to help you choose the right plant for the right spot.
Suggestions for lovely houseplants for a few different lighting situations
Cactus and succulents come in so many shapes, sizes and colors that it is difficult to choose just one. An array of different varieties either in separate pots or grouped together in a bowl is a charming addition to a sunny room. The more light they receive, the better, whether direct light or indirect light. Although some cacti are slow growers, others can become enormous. There’s nothing quite like a two-foot diameter spiky cactus ball in a terra cotta pot.
Pothos have heart-shaped leaves that are about three inches long. They can be all green, or variegated with featherings of white or cream. They make lovely hanging baskets, and are sometimes sold with a piece of wood in the middle of the pot for the plant to climb. Either way, pothos like indirect light, and they will tolerate shadier areas of the home. Try one meandering across the tops of kitchen cabinets. Just don’t forget to water it.
Some varieties of ficus trees have small oval green or variegated leaves, while others have medium-sized or very large leaves. They thrive in office environments where they receive lots of fluorescent light, and in the home in indirect light. They will tolerate some shade, too. Don’t despair if your tree drops leaves when it first moves in, or when you move it to a different location. It will bounce back once it gets used to its new home. Just don’t move it very often, if possible, to keep its stress level down.
The umbrella plant has large leaves formed by up to ten, two-to-three-inch-long leaflets that grow in the shape of an umbrella. This beautiful tropical plant grows in the shade in Hawaii and Florida. In the home, it likes indirect sun, tolerates some shade, and will also tolerate uneven or sporadic watering, although it does prefer to be moist. It can get very large, and cuttings can easily be rooted to make new plants. This plant enjoys taking a shower to remove the dust from its leaves.
Christmas/Thanksgiving cactus are not actually cactuses, and they like as much light as you can give them, but direct sun can turn their leaves yellow or red. The plants themselves won’t win any beauty contests, but when they are in flower they are spectacular, regardless of what color the flowers are. They come in white, pink, orange, magenta, red or purple. The difference between the Christmas cactus and the Thanksgiving cactus is their bloom times and their leaves—Christmas cactus leaves have sharper spurs than Thanksgiving cactus. When they’re not in flower, you’d need to have one of each side-by-side to tell the difference.
African violets like indirect but bright light. Direct sun will wash the color out of the leaves. African violets are inexpensive and easy to grow, and they come in a rainbow of flower colors; just choose your favorite. If they do not thrive in the location you’ve chosen, simply purchase a new one and try it elsewhere. African violets do best when watered from the bottom. Place them in a bowl of water and let them soak it up. Try not to get water on their furry leaves; it will leave spots.
Rosemary is a tender perennial herb that loves to grow indoors. Give it as much indirect light as possible. The fragrant, soft needles of rosemary are a joy to see, feel and smell, plus you get the added bonus of having fresh rosemary on hand for recipes.
Garden geraniums (actually called pelargonium, or zonal geraniums) love sun and warmth. The more of both you can give them, the lovelier they will be in the home. Bring one indoors from the garden, or nip a cutting from a friend. They root easily in water.
The most common cause of houseplant death is over-watering; so, follow the guidelines on the tag. For example, if the tag says to wait until the top inch of the soil is dry, don’t water before that. After a little trial and error, you’ll wind up with a schedule that suits both your needs and your plant’s needs.
Add houseplants to your décor. They give off oxygen, color and beauty, for the small price of light, water and a little bit of your time.
Lori Rose, the Midnight Gardener, is a Temple University Certified Master Home Gardener and member of GardenComm: Garden Communicators International. She has gardened since childhood, and has been writing about gardening for over twenty years.