Learning NEW things about cactus

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Happy Wednesday!

I’ve learned something NEW! The difference between Christmas Cactus and Thanksgiving Cactus!

I had to take a photo of my Thanksgiving Cactus plant alongside a photo of my mother to document that I have not let her plant die (yet)….and it actually bloomed this year! Yeah!

Mom passed away in 2020, and she loved this plant. She always called it a Christmas Cactus though. After she died, we divided her large plant into many starts for all her children and some of her grandchildren (whoever wanted a start and thought they’d be able to keep it alive!). At that time, someone must have done some research and we found out the mom’s Christmas Cactus was actually a Thanksgiving Cactus. Here’s a great website that explains the difference {HERE}.

Unfortunately, garden centers often mislabel these two different plants. That was probably the reason mom said it was a Christmas Cactus, even though it bloomed closer to Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Cactus have segments that look serrated or toothed with pointy spines. Christmas cactus have rounded, more scalloped edge leaves.

Also, Thanksgiving cactus anthers are yellow and Christmas cactus anthers are pink to purplish-brown.

So! Now we know and we’ll use the correct term and think of mom every Thanksgiving as our plants are blooming.

Have a great day! Do or learn something new!

7 thoughts on “Learning NEW things about cactus”

  1. That’s so interesting, Lenore. I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a Thanksgiving cactus. I love that you divided up the plant among family members. What a terrific idea 🙂

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  3. I learned something new today! Because of you! I has no idea there were two different Christmas/Thanksgiving cactus. Thank you so much.
    And yours is beautiful!
    I am also so sorry you lost your Mother. Sending my heartfelt condolences to you and yours.

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  4. Great information. I have a few of these hardy plants too. I love what you wrote about dividing your Mom’s plant into starts. This year, my mother also left this world. I have the last geraniums she had on her back patio in my home now. I hope to keep them going forever.

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