Confused in Thanksgiving cactus vs. Christmas cactus? Here we are with some of the major differences, let’s understand!
The Thanksgiving cactus and the Christmas cactus are both beautiful, festive flowering plants. They are not only different kinds of holiday plants but also have many differences in terms of their leaves, flowers, stems, and also their blooming periods. Firstly, know about the features of both of them!
Thanksgiving Cactus
Schlumbergera truncata is a popular tropical cactus of the Cactaceae family native to Brazil. These are low-maintenance house plants that bloom during November. This plant has pointed leaves and comprises some claw-shaped projections at the edge of it. Its blooms are tubular and flower in the late fall. The flowers come in various shades of yellow, pink, white, and red which may last for two to four weeks.
Christmas Cactus
Schlumbergera x buckleyi is a hybrid between S. truncata (the Thanksgiving cactus) and S. russelliana (Easter cactus). The leaves of the Christmas cactus are less pointy and more scalloped. It may look like a teardrop. They also have tubular flowers with different color varieties almost similar to Thanksgiving cactus.
Thanksgiving Cactus Vs. Christmas Cactus
It is as simple as it looks! With very little amount of effort, one can straightaway tell the difference by observing the leaves and the flowers of these two plants. Read along to identify the key differentiation factors.
1. Leaves or Stem Segment
One of the easiest ways to distinguish between them is by examining the shape of their leaves, which are not technically “leaves” but “cladodes or phylloclades”. It is a type of stem segment.
The Thanksgiving cactus has serrated cladodes with pointy appendages or projections that resemble crab claws, while the Christmas cactus has less pointy and more scallop-like shapes. It doesn’t have any projections like the Thanksgiving cacti.
2. Flowers
The flowers on a Thanksgiving cactus stand up slightly, and those on a Christmas cactus hang down. Despite this difference, both plants produce tubular-shaped flowers with delicate, pointed petals in shades of white, pink, red, and sometimes peach or orange.
3. Blooming period
We can say that there is a very thin line difference in blooming period between both. Thanksgiving cactus typically blooms in late November, around Thanksgiving celebrations whereas Christmas cactus blooms later, from mid to late December, around Christmas.
Thanksgiving Cactus Vs. Christmas Cactus Vs. Easter Cactus
There is one more holiday cactus that you should know about and that is the Easter cactus! Yes, a cactus for every occasion! The Easter cactus, also known as Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri, differs from both the Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti.
As the name suggests, the Easter cactus blooms in the spring season, typically starting in late winter and continuing through March or April. While the flowers share similar colors, ranging from pale to bright pink, their star-like shape with a double row of petals sets them apart from the other two. Moreover, the leaves are more rounded like those of the Christmas cactus but feature tiny serrated edges like the Thanksgiving cactus!
These plants are all kinds of disease-free until and unless overwatered. They are more like darkness and cool temperature lovers. So, that means the flowers won’t bloom if kept under broad sunlight. They will turn reddish if kept under too much sunlight indicating a lack of phosphorus or water. These plants don’t require much water and may die if overwatered!
Conclusion
So, now you know which cactus to gift for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter celebrations! and hope that all your celebrations this year bloom like the beautiful, vibrant colors of the cactus. Please share your comments about which one you are going to gift your loved ones this time.
