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Difference Between Christmas and Easter Cactus

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Overview

In this topic, readers will be made familiar with the difference between Christmas cactus and Easter cactus in detail. It incorporates all the details about

  • Christmas cactus

  • Easter cactus 

  • Difference between the Christmas and easter cactus

  • Cactus names with pictures

  • Types of cactus

An Introduction to the Difference Between Christmas and Easter Cacti

Did you know that there are varieties of Thanksgiving Cactus and Easter Cactus in addition to Christmas Cactus? Plants from the Cactaceae family include the Christmas and Easter cacti. They are Brazilian rainforest cacti from the tropics. They don't look anything like the cactus that grow in deserts. In areas of high humidity, they can grow on rocks or trees. The Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving cacti are the three species that are most often grown. They are hard to distinguish because they have similar appearances.

What is a Christmas Cactus?

Christmas cactus, or Schlumbergera bridgesii, is a well-known cactus in the Cactaceae family that is grown for its eye-catching cerise flowers, which bloom indoors around the time of Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere. There are six to nine species of Schlumbergera, a tiny genus of cacti, in the coastal mountains of southeast Brazil. They go by the names Christmas cactus, Thanksgiving cactus, crab cactus, and holiday cactus in the Northern Hemisphere. Since they bloom in the Southern Hemisphere in May, the genus is known as Flor de Maio (May flower) in Brazil.


These plants, which can look quite different from their desert-dwelling siblings, grow on trees or rocks in settings that are typically shady and humid. The majority of Schlumbergera species have areoles at the joints and tips of their stems, which produce flowers that resemble leaf-like pads united together. Cylindrical stems are more prevalent in two species than the other cacti.

Christmas Cactus


Christmas Cactus

What is an Easter Cactus?

The Easter cactus, or Hatiora gaertneri, is a well-known spring-flowering cactus in the Cactaceae family that is grown for its vivid red blossoms that occur around Easter in the Northern Hemisphere. Easter cactus has no spines and develops into a pendulous branched plant. The flattened cladodes (leafless photosynthetic units) with notched margins make up the segmented stems. The multiple-petaled, funnel-shaped blooms are typically borne near the terminal cladodes. To develop the best flower buds, a period of cool weather throughout the winter is necessary.

Easter Cactus

Easter Cactus

Difference Between Christmas and Easter Cactus

The Christmas cactus and the Easter cactus are sometimes confused, although the Christmas cactus has strongly saw-toothed stem joint margins and the Easter cactus has rounded joint stem margins, and are frequently mistakenly marketed as Christmas cacti since they bloom in the late fall.

Looking at the structure of the stem segments and keeping track of what season they bloom is the true key to differentiating between each species.

The following table shows the difference between the Christmas and Easter Cactus.


Christmas Cactus

Easter Cactus

Christmas cacti is a common cactus species with flattened stems and lovely cerise flowers.

Easter cacti have segmented stems with notched borders and eye-catching crimson blossoms.

The botanical name of the Christmas cactus is Schlumbergera bridgesii.

The botanical name of the Easter Cactus is Hatiora gaertneri.

Since the cacti lack actual leaves, the stem comprises a chain of leaf-like components with a bloom at the tip.

Similar to a chain, these cacti also feature a leafy stem, but their leaves have more rounded edges.

The stems have less spikey pads with rounded edges.

They have the spikiest stem segments and sometimes have small hair on leaves.

The flowers resemble tubes in appearance.

The flowers are shaped like a starburst.

It blooms from late autumn through the beginning of winter.

It generally blooms in late spring.

It requires continuous watering, and the soil should not be dried out.

The soil needs to be totally dried out before rewatering.


Difference Between Christmas and Easter Cactus


Difference Between Christmas and Easter Cactus

Interesting Facts

  • Being a cactus itself, Christmas cactus is found in cooler temperatures.

  • Easter Cactus prefers filtered light and no direct sunlight.

Key Features

  • The Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) and the Easter cactus (Hatiora gaertneri) appear to be different varieties of the same plant, but they are actually different species.

  • As their names imply, they bloom at various times of the year, but that is only the beginning of what distinguishes these two vibrant and ornamental plants from one another.

  • Though they both originated in Brazil's forests, the two varieties of cacti have different types of forests.

  • This article helps to understand the difference between Christmas and the Easter cactus. It has provided all the information in detail.

Important Questions

  1. What is the lifespan of a Christmas cactus?

Ans: If properly taken care of, Christmas cactus can survive up to decades.


  1. What triggers a Christmas cactus to bloom?

Ans: Christmas cactus favours direct, bright sunlight. Optimum sunlight and temperature trigger Christmas cacti to bloom the years after purchase.


  1. What is the difference between Christmas and Easter cactus?

Ans: The leaf projections of the Christmas cactus are more scalloped or teardrop shaped. The edges of the leaves of the Easter cactus are extremely rounded and centred.

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FAQs on Difference Between Christmas and Easter Cactus

1. Is an Easter cactus and a Christmas cactus the same thing?

The Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) and the Easter cactus (Hatiora gaertneri) appear to be different varieties of the same plant, but they are actually whole different species. They differ in stems, flowers and blooming period. The stems of the Christmas cactus are made up of a chain of leaf-like portions with a bloom at the end rather than actual leaves whereas the stem segments of the Easter cactus have rounded, smooth edges with some rippling.


The flowers of the Christmas cactus are tube-like whereas the flowers of the Easter cactus have a starburst-like shape. Christmas cactus blooms in late autumn through the beginning of winter, and the Easter cactus blooms in late spring.

2. What are the two major types of holiday cactus?

Christmas cactus and Easter cactus are the two popular holiday cacti, each of which is called after the season in which its blooms occur. These are easy to  grow and cultivate and have comparable growth patterns and maintenance needs.

3. Does a Christmas cactus bloom at Easter?

Easter cactus blooms in the spring, with flower buds first appearing in February and blooming from March until May. Christmas cacti, on the other hand, often bloom one month earlier than Easter cacti in the late fall or early winter.


Overview

In this topic, readers will be made familiar with the difference between Christmas cactus and Easter cactus in detail. It incorporates all the details about

  • Christmas cactus

  • Easter cactus 

  • Difference between the Christmas and easter cactus

  • Cactus names with pictures

  • Types of cactus


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