You wouldn’t give these plants a second glance for most of the year but, when they are in flower, they are stunning. Zygocactus (Schlumbergera truncata cultivars) come in a range of colours and are in nurseries now. I bought a small white-flowering plant last week and am looking forward to the buds opening.
They are native to the humid subtropical and tropical forests of Brazil where they grow on trees and rocks. They are easy to grow in home gardens and look best in hanging baskets when the segmented stems (often called ‘crab cactus’) can arch and flowers can be admired at eye level. Each individual flower lasts about a week, but the buds tend to open in succession rather than all at once. This means you can enjoy the blooming time for about a month.
Zygocactus are frost tender and do best where temperatures are over 10 degrees. Lower light conditions help stimulate flowering – they love long, dark nights. During cold winters, move them into a shade house, sheltered deck or veranda with filtered morning sun or dappled shade. Avoid positioning them in harsh afternoon sun. You can even bring them indoors to protect from the cold.
Always plant Zygocactus in a free-draining mix. Allow the potting mix to almost dry out in between watering. Don’t allow water to sit in pot saucers as excess water can cause the roots to rot.
Zygocactus are easy to propagate new plants from cuttings. This is a good way to share plants with different-coloured flowers with friends. Take cuttings that are at least two leaf segments long and keep them in a cool spot to dry for a few days. Then push the cuttings vertically into pots or trays filled with potting mix. Place the pots or tray in a warm, well-lit spot and water to keep the mix just moist. Roots will form after a few months and the new plants can be divided into individual pots.