Zigocactus is widely known in Russia under the names Decembrist or Christmas. He is loved for unpretentiousness and beautiful appearance, and also for unusual flowering time, in mid-December. This feature made him a popular New Year gift. But few people know that he can bloom at another time. To do this, you need to know the rules for caring for zigocactus at home.
Plant description
In botany, this culture has a scientific name - Schlumbergera zygocactus. This name was received in honor of the famous collector Frederic Schlumberger. Homeland - tropical forests of Brazil, Guatemala and Jamaica.
This amazing cactus has no thorns and belongs to the type of epiphytic plants. In the natural environment, it grows on the trunks of other trees and does not need soil. Therefore, the roots of the Decembrist are thin and fragile. This feature is compensated by an airy root system that can absorb moisture from the environment surrounding the flower.
With proper care at home, the Schlumberger zygocactus reaches a height of 40 centimeters. Its branched stems look like interconnected green leaves.
The flowers of the plant are multi-tiered, decorative, they will look great in a cache-pot. In nature, there are Decembrists of red or pale pink. But yellow and violet, suitable for home care zigocactus, have already been bred. In the photo - a white Decembrist.
Variety of species
There are several popular types of plants:
- Truncated — stem segments have serrated edges. The flower is multi-tiered, its petals slightly bent.
- Kautsky - similar to truncated, but smaller in size.
- Buckley - the stems are smoother, and the flower is pale pink.
- Opuntia - large (up to six centimeters) purple flowers appear on lobes of a cylindrical shape.
All types of zygocactus (Decembrists) for home care are perfect.
Care Rules
Caring for zigocactus at home requires creating an environment similar to a natural one. Despite the fact that the plant belongs to cacti, it does not like moisture and does not tolerate direct sunlight.
It is best to arrange for him a place near the windows facing east or west. If the side is south, you need to pull the curtains in the afternoon. Particular care should be taken during periods of budding and flowering, because the heat of the sun can damage delicate shoots. However, if there is not enough light, the cactus will not bloom.
Watering the Christmas
In the Brazilian subtropics, Decembrist absorbs a lot of water from humid air, this feature should be taken into account in the care of zigocactus at home. The plant must be watered regularly. But you need to make sure that the soil has time to dry between watering, otherwise the roots will begin to rot.
Decembrist does not tolerate water, which contains lime or chlorine. Ideal rain. But if it is not possible to assemble it in a city apartment, you can use a water supply, previously aged up to ten days.
Plant pruning
To form a beautiful bush, the cactus is pruned in June when it is not blooming. It is best to remove the links of the stem, new shoots and extra branches with light twisting movements. Later they can be used for propagation by cuttings.
If the plant is sick, you can cut the affected leaves at any time of the year.
Cactus transplant
A young plant is transplanted annually during the period of active growth. Each time a pot is taken for this, which is four centimeters larger than the previous one. It is best suited for flat shallow dishes, because the roots of the cactus grow in width. Holes should be provided at the bottom for air circulation.
An adult plant does not need frequent transplants. Once every 4-5 years is enough. To do this, choose the time after flowering, for example, in February or March.
At the bottom of the pot pour a layer of drainage of at least two centimeters. To do this, you can use:
- expanded clay;
- crushed stone;
- pebbles.
After the dishes are filled with soil. When caring for zigocactus at home, you can use either purchased soil for forest cacti, or made on your own. The composition must include:
- peat;
- river sand;
- turf;
- sheet earth.
The main thing is that the soil is loose and contains enough nutrients. For this purpose add:
- crushed charcoal;
- pine bark;
- vermiculite.
The plant is installed on the ground, evenly spreading the roots. At the edges they gently sprinkle the earth and ram them with light movements of the hands. The first time you can water the cactus after two or three days. Each transplant is a serious stress, zigocactus needs to be given time to get used to.
Flowering decembrist
In order for a zigocactus flower to form when leaving at home, the same requirements are necessary as in the natural environment of its habitat. First of all, it is a decrease in temperature and daylight hours.
As soon as the first buds appear, the plant is transferred to a place where there is no direct sunlight, and the temperature remains at 20-22 degrees during the day and 15-20 at night. After that, the cactus is no longer moved, otherwise it will reset the buds.
To keep the buds intact, you should not change the illumination in the room and regularly moisten the soil. Hot and dry air near the battery will result in a lack of flowering.
If the Decembrist is in a room with a temperature below 15 ºC, the buds appear even with a long daylight. But after such stress, the flower will recover for a long time and may not bloom for several years.
The efforts of gardeners will certainly be rewarded. Indeed, the lush and colorful flowers of the Decembrist look very advantageous in the interior. Below is a photo of the zygocactus Schlumberger.
Home care involves the propagation of a flower.
Methods of budding
Christmas propagates well in the following ways:
- cuttings;
- vaccination;
- seeds.
Seeds are commonly used to breed new Decembrists.
Propagation by cuttings
When propagating with the help of cuttings, the formed stems consisting of 3-5 segments are carefully unscrewed. Dry the slice a little and place it on a moist substrate. A container with cuttings is placed in a cool, shaded place.
You can cover the dishes with a glass jar or a plastic bottle with a cut-off neck. This creates an artificial greenhouse. But it should be remembered that if you do not periodically raise the jar, the seedlings will begin to rot.
When a young cactus has roots, it can be transplanted into a regular pot. But it is better not to choose a very large tank. Too much moisture will only damage the flower. Below is a photo of zygocactus.
Reproduction when leaving at home is possible with vaccination.
Vaccination propagation
This method will be of interest to already experienced flower growers seeking experimentation. Schlumbergera is grafted to other types of cacti. It can be prickly pear, hylocereus or pereskia.
The cropped scion of zigocactus, consisting of at least two links, must be sharpened and inserted into the previously cleaned and split stem of another plant. The vaccination site is fixed with a needle and wound with a plaster.
The grafted plant should stand in a cool room for two weeks. A sign that everything went well will be the shoots appearing on the Schlumberger. Then the patch can be removed and cut off excess leaves from the stem.
If vaccinated at the beginning or middle of spring, the new plant will begin to bloom in the winter. The result of proper care of zigocactus at home is in the photo.
Enemies of the Decembrist
With proper care at home, zigocactus is quite resistant to pests and diseases. But some problems still visit him. First of all, these are fungal and bacterial diseases. Among them:
- late blight;
- Fusario
- fitium.
The causes of such diseases are too wet ground, poor ventilation of the air in the pot. Such drugs as Vitaroz, Maxim and Topaz, as well as fungicides, are struggling with them. The defeat occurs, as a rule, on the roots of the plant.
Bacterial diseases are dangerous because it is impossible to heal them. The only effective remedy for them is to recognize the problem in time and remove the affected part of the plant. For this, it is important to know the symptoms.
The disease begins with the base of the stem of Schlumbergera. A dark spot is formed on it, which spreads further, discoloring the segments or giving them a red tint. If the bacteria have already spread greatly, you can save the life of your beloved Decembrist only after propagating by cuttings.
Caring for zigocactus in home pots can also complicate pests. These can be spider mites, mealybugs, whiteflies and scale insects, and when grown in open ground - snails and slugs.
You should not use dubious folk remedies for their elimination - soap or vodka. This will only harm the plant. Among modern medicines, Fitoverm, Aktar, or Aktellik can help.
Cactus fertilizer
The Decembrist does not need frequent feeding. Young plants are transplanted into fresh soil every year, separately they can not be fertilized. But mature may need additional nutrition.
The procedure is performed from March to August, twice a month. Then gradually reduce the amount of fertilizer, and for the flowering period completely stop. Mineral supplements for cacti containing potassium can be used. Ready-made fertilizers are sold in flower shops.
Seasonal Care Features
Schlumbergera needs to adjust the conditions of detention depending on the time of year. The flowering of a plant is affected by the temperature of the room and the length of daylight hours. Therefore, artificial lighting in the cold season is not required.
From the beginning of September, a gradual decrease in watering begins, a large amount of moisture is no longer needed. But there is a need for fresh air cool. Therefore, the Christmas tree can be left without fear at this time on the terrace or balcony. The main thing is that the room temperature does not fall below 10 ºC and does not rise above 23 ºC, otherwise the flowering will be disrupted.
As soon as the first buds begin to appear, the cactus is again transferred to the room. In care for this time should be limited to regular watering and gentle wiping with a damp cloth. If any of the buds or flowers is damaged, it is carefully unscrewed. Proper care at home is very important for the plant. The photos of zigocactus, a healthy flowering plant, are truly beautiful.
After flowering, a dormant period begins. It lasts up to two months. At this time, the Schlumberger should be in a cool room with limited lighting. Watering is moderate. In spring, it is time to propagate the Decembrist and transplant it into new soil.
In summer, sunlight and hot, dry air are particularly dangerous. For a pot, it is better to choose a shady place on the balcony or terrace, protected from drafts and strong winds. The soil should not dry out, but water stagnating in the sump is also unacceptable.
Zygocactus needs regular spraying to maintain air humidity. In summer, this procedure can be repeated three times a week. In winter, 1-2 times a month is enough.
When performing such simple procedures, the Decembrist will delight others with magnificent bright colors for many years.