This houseplant is amazingreminds of Cinderella. More precisely, her fairy-tale transformation when she goes to the ball to the king. In summer, the Decembrist is an inconspicuous flower, its hanging green branches have no decorative appeal and look pale against the background of other indoor plants. But as soon as the time comes for Christmas and New Year holidays, the plant is covered with a scattering of buds, which after a while become bright flowers of an unusual shape. When most indoor plants are in the dormant and resting phase, the Decembrist flowers blaze on the windowsill with juicy shades of summer. It is for this plant that experienced gardeners love, and beginners strive to buy a Decembrist flower or grow it themselves, using cuttings. Decembrist and its varieties are called in many ways: cancer neck, Varvara's braid, Christmas cactus, Schlumbergera zygocactus. The plant has long been known to flower growers and for this reason it is often ironically called grandmother's flower.
History of the grandmother's flower
The homeland of the zygocactus is considered to be humid tropicalforests of South America. It is surprising that even long-cultivated potted plants remember their true homeland and bloom when summer comes there, despite the fact that there may be bitter frosts outside the window. The natural color of the Decembrist flowers is white and bright red. Thanks to the work of breeders, new varieties and hybrids appear every year. They surprise even experienced gardeners with a variety of shades. You can often see bright orange, coral, lilac flowers. Selection is carried out in such a way that with proper care, hybrids can bloom 2-3 times a year. Zygocacti belong to forest cacti, they grow in light dimmed by tree crowns, soil deficiency and high air humidity. In tropical forests, there are no sudden changes in temperature, so the plant does not tolerate them well at home. In order for the Decembrist to feel good at home, it is necessary to create conditions close to those in which it grows in the natural environment.
Secrets of care
A natural question arises when in the housethe Decembrist flower appears: how to care for this indoor plant? Experts do not classify it as capricious and whimsical, but despite this, you will have to follow some rules for caring for it. You need to know that this plant does not benefit from direct sunlight. Therefore, you should not put it on southern or western windowsills with intense lighting. This will slow down its growth and cause the last segments of the shoots to fall off. In summer, the Decembrist will happily move to fresh air: to a balcony, loggia, or even to a garden in the country. Only when moving the plant, you should pay close attention to the lighting and, if necessary, organize shading. The Decembrist prefers light partial shade and will feel good near a window behind a transparent curtain. But it is very tolerant of the temperature regime and can grow at a temperature of 2 to 37 ° C, but still the optimal temperature for growing is 18-25 ° C. Watering the plant should be moderate, if the soil in the pot does not dry out, there is a risk of root rot. Excessive soil moisture at low air temperatures is especially harmful to the flower. Water for irrigation must be settled and you should not water the plants with cold water even in summer. In hot weather, spraying will be useful for the Decembrist. In order to wash off dust from the leaf blades, regularly use a warm shower. To do this, cover the soil with polyethylene so that water does not get into the pot and wash the leaves. The best news for everyone who has a zygocactus at home is that the plant is a long-liver. With good care, it can live at home for 15-20 years, but it should be taken into account that with age, its appearance begins to deteriorate a little. The shoots eventually become coarser and stop actively branching. If you pinch them, you can keep the crown thick for quite a long time. Pinching and shaping the crown is desirable to do in the spring. You can also rejuvenate the plant to maintain its attractiveness.
How to make the Decembrist blossom?
The biggest disappointment is thisa houseplant when it refuses to bloom. This problem is quite common and can become insurmountable without knowledge. If the Decembrist does not bloom at all or skips the annual winter bloom, this may be a sign that it has not felt the flowering time. In order to fix this, the flower is placed in a cool place from the end of September to the end of November and a rest period is arranged, while reducing watering. At this time, the plant is not fertilized. Then, the flower is placed in a warm and bright place, watered abundantly, thus helping it to wake up. After some time, buds are formed, and from this moment the plant will require increased attention. Firstly, at this time it cannot be moved or the pot turned. In response to such actions, the Decembrist may shed the buds that have formed. Secondly, the soil in the pot should not dry out. In addition, it is necessary to maintain high air humidity, spraying the plant daily. Sometimes the flowering of the bush is one-sided, that is, the buds appear on one side. It is not difficult to guess that this side was better illuminated. To prevent this from happening, you should turn the plant, but this can only be done before the buds appear.
Reproduction
Zygocactus is propagated and rejuvenated bycuttings. To do this, separate 2-3 extreme segments from the shoot. Do not use a knife or scissors, but hold the branch with one hand, and carefully separate the future cutting with the other hand. This procedure will not only not worsen the condition of the flower, but will also contribute to abundant flowering, since flowers appear on young shoots. The cuttings must be dried for 2-3 days, then they are slightly deepened into moist soil and covered with polyethylene or an ordinary jar. Such an improvised greenhouse is placed in the shade, not forgetting to regularly ventilate it. The air temperature should be 15-20 ° C.
Transplantation of zygocacus
All the tips on replanting the Decembrist and itsclosest relatives come down to two main points. It is important that the soil is nutritious, peat soils are ideal for these purposes. You can make your own soil mixture using peat, sand, leaf soil and small brick chips. Good drainage must be included in the pot, then there will be no problems with stagnant water and rotting of the roots. It is desirable that the drainage volume be one third of the pot. Since the root system of zygocacti is superficial and quite weak, it is better to take shallow but wide pots. It is best to transplant at the end of winter after flowering. Young plants are transplanted annually, adults - only after 3-4 years.
Growth Problems
Sometimes the plant sheds its outer segmentsshoots or buds. Most often, this happens due to improper watering. The condition of the Decembrist can be affected by both insufficient moisture and excessive watering. In addition, rearranging the flower during the formation of buds can also negatively affect its condition. Pest damage has the same consequences. Wilted leaves, their pale color are most often associated with too bright lighting, irregular watering and pest damage. If there are brown spots on the leaves, this is a sign of scale insect damage. You can get rid of it with the help of special products that are sold in flower shops. Fungal and bacterial diseases appear as spots on the leaves, which eventually wither and fall off. Such problems are also eliminated with the help of specialized preparations, but it should be taken into account that if the improvement is not noticeable within a few days, you should separate the cuttings from healthy shoots and try to root them so as not to lose the plant completely. In order for the zygocactus to delight with generous flowering every year, it does not need much. Attentive attitude and love for plants are the most important factors for the well-being of indoor flowers, and the Decembrist is no exception. We recommend reading:
