Why is My Christmas Cactus Blooming Now and it is not Christmas yet????

I set it out side during the summer Months.Bring in before frost. Live in WV.

Why is My Christmas Cactus Blooming Now and it is not Christmas yet????
Because you probably have a Thanksgiving cactus, and no, I'm no joking.





The true Xmas cactus (schlumbergera) is rarely offered for sale these days. It blooms right at Xmas time, so it's in flower too late for the marketers to move it.





The Thanksgiving cactus (zygocactus) can be identified by the points on the sides of the leaves. On the Xmas cactus, there are no points, the leaf edges are rounded.





Enjoy it anyway, they're very pretty!
Reply:You're welcome. Plants have been my main hobby for 35 years and I love to talk about them! Report It

Reply:I read an article how the decreasing the length of daylight as summer becomes fall triggers the plant to blossom. Maybe next year after the equinox occurs put the plant under timed artificial light that has equal amounts of day light to dark continue that program for about two months then start decreasing the time of the day light by a minute each day.


If I remember right the succulent is originally from South America near the equator
Reply:Not all plants are on our time shedule .. and well it depends on the constant temps its being exposed to..
Reply:This plant times its blooming by the amount of light it gets each day. When we take plants indoors, we change that amount of natural light that the plant receives daily and the plant responds accordingly. Generally speaking, the christmas cactus blooms after a period of extended darkness. The first day of winter- Dec 21 which is very close to christmas- marks the longest daily dark period of the year. Thus, the cactus blooms close to christmas. If your plant has received less natural light indoors- more dark hours per day- this bloom will begin earlier. Growers and florists control these light conditions to stimulate blooms- perhaps the most popular seasonal plant stimulated by light is the Poinsettia. Hope that helps.
Reply:Haven't you notice christmas is coming earlier every year. It use to be you don't see Xmas decorations until some time after thanksgiving. Now i'm seeing them before holloween