That Christmas cactus might actually be a little bit crab-y

I have received several missives and have a co-worker with bragging rights about their Christmas cactuses already being in bloom.

Remarkably enough, most say that they don’t employ any of the triggering methods I suggested to get their plants to come to bloom.

Sandy asks if there is a logical explanation and I have some thoughts, so please bear with me. First, Sandy, I believe your photo shows a plant that isn’t truly a Christmas cactus. Now, don’t all of you get defensive. Last year, I learned that there is another type of plant that is actually classified as a crab cactus (Schlumbergera truncata). You usually see them sold at retail level around the Easter and Thanksgiving holidays.

These plants don blooms of pink, salmon, white and orange. The crab cactus is easily distinguished by looking at the leaf. Each leaf (joint) is sharply toothed, usually having two “teeth” at the top part of each leaf segment or joint. The leaves or joints can be varied in color too. I’ve seen them in dark green, dark green with a burgundy hue and some even a bizarre purple.

In other words, the crab cactus plant joints are rarely green.

So that leaves you all wondering what a true Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) plant joints look like? Simple, their joints are bright green. No peculiar coloring to them, just bright green.

The joints also have a more scalloped edge, no teeth like the crab cactus, and to me the plants seem more cascading in nature. Their blooms are usually 3-inches long and white fading to rosy reddish with a brilliant magenta-pink stamen and funky white-yellow pollen anthers.

So whether you have a Christmas or a crab cactus, if it’s in bloom for the upcoming holidays, then rejoice.

Perhaps unknowingly, these happy plants I’ve been regaled about were kept cooler because of air conditioning. Or perhaps their windows were curtained to keep out some of the still hot sun we had all through September. Maybe the plants got a fertilization that offered a kick in the pants, convincing them they needed to set bloom.

However or whatever triggered them to come into bloom for you, and it could very well just be their nature, enjoy these most unusual flowers for as long as you can. They enjoy their surroundings and that’s a good thing.

I wanted to remind everyone about the city of Albuquerque green waste collection, Monday, Dec. 1, through Friday, Dec. 12. So remember to mark your calendars. On your regular trash day during those dates, set the green waste collection bags you’ve been gathering four feet from your trash bins and the city collects all that good stuff to be repurposed. It’s such an economical way to help keep Albuquerque tidier.

Happy Diggin’ In!

Tracey Fitzgibbon is a certified nurseryman. Send garden-related questions to Digging In, Albuquerque Journal, 7777 Jefferson NE, Albuquerque, N.M. 87109, or to features@abqjournal.com.