Holiday Cactus Identification

So you have a brand new “holiday” cactus and aren’t sure what type it is? We’re here to help! If this article doesn’t help you, head on over to our Facebook group or join us on Mesh and post your pictures for a quick identification.

Schlumbergera truncata: This is also called the Thanksgiving cactus, and should be the first of the three “holiday” cactuses to bloom. This one has flattened segments that lack spines, have pointed “teeth” along the edges, and have ends that are straight and not curved. These flattened ends are where the flower buds and new leaves emerge from. The branches hang, so if yours used to have branches that pointed straight up and are now starting to droop, don’t fear!

Schlumbergera bridgesii: This is what is actually a Christmas cactus, and is the generally the second of the “holiday” cactuses to bloom. The segments of this one are similar to the Schlumbergera truncata, except instead of the pointed teeth, the edges of this are more rounded, but have deeper notches in the scalloping than the Hatiora gaertnera has.

Hatiora gaertnera: This is the Easter cactus, which is the third of the “holiday” cactuses to bloom during the spring time. These have segments with rounded edges, that have less of a defined scalloping. Also, there can be small “bristles” coming out of the ends of the leaf segments.

Hopefully this has helped you ID your new “holiday” cactus, and soon we’ll share care tips and tricks for these popular plants, so keep checking back!