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purpleinopp

crazy Easter cactus, Thanks!!

This plant made a few flowers a couple different times well after Easter this past summer, and now has 15 buds on it. They look like little cut gems and these tiny spots of color are as cool as the flowers that will come from them to me.

Several people, especially PG, on the house plant forum got me straightened out and apparently the plant is happy now to make 15 blooms at the same time. But I'm left wondering, how in the world is it managing a 3rd bloom in well under a year after what it's been through?

Wondering if they just naturally bloom sporadically "in captivity" but are especially easy/convenient to manipulate into bloom for Easter so are sold that way and given that common name. What this plant has experienced just since June, when it was given to me, could in no way be construed as proper treatment, due to apparent lack of knowledge about soil on behalf of the person who gave it to me in a pot of sandy peat, and initial confusion on my part about thinking it wanted to be dry all the time and in full sun.

Just took this pic. Don't think these buds would be here w/o the advice and concern of GW'ers. Thanks everyone!!

Comments (31)

  • 123Greta
    11 years ago

    Glad your plant is happy! :)

  • Laura Robichaud
    11 years ago

    What a fat and healthy looking plant!

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Me too, and thanks!!

    Whole plant this morning.

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    11 years ago

    Great ruby color! :-D

    Josh

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    It looks like it's wearing jewelry at this point.

    Any stuff about when these "normally" bloom, or is sporadic blooming normal?

  • pirate_girl
    11 years ago

    Hi there Purple,

    Thanks for the credit in helping you, happy to. Now if only I could grow these.

    I've never seen such fat & round buds. If I didn't know better, I'd have thought they might be 'apples' the fruits these make; I thought that was a single one. When you pulled back to the larger shot showing the whole thing, Wow, it's gonna be pretty cool when they open, holy smokes!!

    I know these Easter cacti less than the TC & CC. I have a friend whose TC/CC bloom 3 times a year at least. Seems when they find optimal conditions, they bloom more than once a season. She had them up in her skylights, & used to tease they must be perverts having sex all the time, to be in bloom so frequently.

    I've killed a few of these, tho' the last one I had lasted a whole year. When I see another EC for sale, I may have to try again.

    Looking forward to seeing pix of this in bloom, enjoy!

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Glad to hear of another sporadic bloomer! Thinking back, there's a huge amount of time during which this plant was making buds, had open flowers. Like it's trying to make up for the "leaves." I'd love to send you a few pieces of this when it warms up. It's got aerial roots all over dying to find soil... Just let me know when it's warm enough if you want some.

    "Now if only I could grow these." I don't believe that for a minute! Think of how much smarter you are than last time you tried.

    What do you think about it being with C. repens? I've been redirecting it all back across the pot but will let it start dangling soon, to kind of balance things out. When I start repotting stuff, I'm pretty sure I want to put a TC on the other side of the pot...

    Yes, they're buds, as long as I don't mess them up...

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Sorry about the weird angle of the dangle. It is that which gives the closest view without cutting anything off. 28 buds as of just now...

  • rachelthepoet
    11 years ago

    Wow! It is looking so pretty, purple! That Is just such an impressive ruby red! Jealous here!!!

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Glad you like it, Rachel! Should have some open flowers sometime in the next few days, will post! The buds are so daggone cool though, I wouldn't care if they didn't open. They're so perfectly sculpted looking. Maybe DH knows how to take a pic with more of them in focus...

  • Colleen E
    11 years ago

    Oh, that's gonna be gorgeous. I LOVE that color bloom. Jealous here! ;)

  • greybird_keke
    11 years ago

    How pretty, Purple! I have a red one and a pink one, but neither are even thinking about blooms. For me, these seem to be more fussy than CC or TC...not sure what I need to do to make them happier.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I don't really feel qualified to advise, but can tell you that before coming inside (to an east window) this plant was hanging in the dappled light of a tree, from a branch. Dappled all day, then there would be some direct sun in the very late afternoon/evening. If you are able to do something similar, might be worth a try. It was repotted last summer also, that may have had something to do with it. I really don't know. I don't fertilize with any regularity and probably didn't walk out where this plant was to include it anyway, so I don't attribute any kind of fertilizing.

    On behalf of the plant, thanks for the compliments. I feel like a spectator too, with front row seats. Smiles!

  • Stush2049 Pitts. PA, zone 6
    11 years ago

    Very nice Purple.
    I've seen something here about grafting these cactus onto paddle cactus. The paddles are not too fusy for mix or water and is best used as a base for these to spring off of. Worth looking in to for people who had problems with these befor.
    Stush

  • Laura Robichaud
    11 years ago

    I saw some nice, fat healthy ECs at a greenhouse nearby. They reminded me of yours. I hope mine blooms red...

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Two flowers are opening today!

    Really appreciated on a cold day when we will have to keep the windows closed. The sun keeps going behind fluffy clouds, and it's a blustery 53 degrees. The wind is howling at 5 mph with gusts of 8-9 mph! There's probably live coverage on the weather channel. I'll have to bundle into a light windbreaker to make the treacherous 2-mile journey to the grocery store later.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    A different angle.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Red isn't really my thing but this flower is so perfect, I really love it!

  • pirate_girl
    11 years ago

    Hey there,

    Ditto the feelings about the red, but yes, it really is a stunning flower, so simple but dramatic, saturated color too, wow!

  • boothbay
    11 years ago

    My Christmas cactus is doing the same thing...sporadic blooming...this is the third time in the past 6 or 7 months since i bought it in bloom. After the first bloom I had put it back into a bright cool room and that seems to do the trick. Once i saw the buds, I placed it in my south sunny room and its blooming again...it seems it needs a 'chill period' to induce it to form more buds.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Sounds cool, booth! Add a pic if you feel like it, I'd love to see it.

    3 flowers open today.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    These two fit in the same close-up. So tropical looking!

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    A bunch of flowers open at the same time. Wow!

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Looking up at a bunch of open blooms. Very welcome on an icky weather day like today.

  • monet_g
    11 years ago

    GREAT blooms. I'd think about getting the plant cut back, starting those cuttings for a full bloom/plant next year! She'd be even more of a stunner and just loaded with flowers.

    This post was edited by monet_g on Thu, Jan 31, 13 at 9:13

  • 123Greta
    11 years ago

    So pretty, purple!

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks & Thanks!

    Good idea, Monet.

  • Laura Robichaud
    11 years ago

    {{gwi:473774}}
    {{gwi:473776}}
    My EC is putting on blooms. I think they'll be red like I was hoping for. It was such a fat, healthy one, I thought I'd take a chance on buying it before I knew the bloom color.

    This post was edited by LauraRobichaud on Fri, Feb 15, 13 at 11:07

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Looks like it's sprouting jewels. Love the upright-ness of your plant, very attractive! I've been removing the most-dangling pieces of mine for trades. It's finished blooming, this time. That was awesome!

  • stephanie_kay
    11 years ago

    Purple your Easter cactus is so pretty. I am not real big on red either but the flowers eye popping.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks, SK!

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