varigated old fashion christmas cactus.....

emerald1951

11 years ago

Hi all, I know there was someone that posted a picture of a variegated old fashion CC that was for sale on e-bay...

well I went to a garage sale yesterday and I bought a small ceramic pot and the lady asked what I was going to do with it, well I said someone from the GW was sending me mini or trailing violets and I thought I could put one in it...so she wanted me to see her violets, very nice BIG plants, just beautiful...and next to them was this variegated CC...

I said I never seen one like it. its was her grandmothers and over 100 yrs old and this spring was the first time it turned white.....

the plant is over 100 yrs old...

its in a east window...on a 4 foot high stand....

just waters it...doesn't take it outside....blooms every year....thats all I know about it.....here are pictures....

I can't tell you any thing else about the plant....

but is it possible, given the right conditions the plant will turn white????????.......linda

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Comments (6)

aseedisapromise
11 years ago
I don't know really that much about variegation in plants, but it looks to me like the plant has this only on one side of it. The side towards the sun is all green. This makes me think that it is some stress response. I have a CC that is a clone of one that I got ten years ago or so, and cloned it maybe 5 years ago, and it is every bit as big as that 100 year old plant. So I think that plant has also been cloned over that time, or really stressed, and also might just be ready for a repot/change of soil.
emerald1951
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi....the plant turned white and then she turned the pot and the ones near the window are now turning white also....
it was or is a all green cc.....and this spring it started to turn white then she turned it and now the whole plant is turning white......linda
pirate_girl
11 years ago
Interesting, I don' know what to think. The only other one I've ever seen I believe M Mike showed & that variegation looked faint, spotty & inconsistent (to me more like some kind of deficiency), than this which in parts looks really consistent & a well established pattern. I've got a soft spot for variegates already, I could like this one too; I actually find this quite beautiful.

Great find for you Linda, congratulations & TFS this rarity w/ us. Sorry I have no answers for you, it's certainly an interesting question.
ks_girl
11 years ago
I think it's just stressed. I found this plant at our local nursery a couple years ago and it was growing with the other cactus and kept very dry even to the point of being on the wilted side. It has since returned to all green.
wantonamara Z8 CenTex
11 years ago
I think it is caused by a systemic stress adaptation to the sun. It is how the plant makes do with the sun instead of a stress symptom of sickness caused by the sun and lack of water. The joints are not dessicated and the green maintains darkness. Very interesting. The top plant has chosen to stop chlorophyl production in areas, whereas the plant, below, is trying but is not able to efficiently. The first plant shows a systemic adaptaion to sun , IMHO Or IMNotsoHO.
emerald1951
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi....wantonamara....I see the stress on the second plant, the lack of water.....but the plant that I posted, has none of that the plant is very healthy looking...plump segments, its a beautiful plant......
and as for the lack of sun light....the part of the plant facing the east window turned white first, and then she turned it so the white part was away from the sun and the other side turned white, now the whole plant is turning white.....and its growing new segments and they are white...
interesting plant....who knows what is happening with it....linda