The home plant zygocactus is also called Christmas, Schlumberger and Decembrist. It pleases owners with beautiful flowering throughout the winter period, which usually begins in December and lasts until February.
The Schlumberger flower came to our country from the South American and Brazilian tropics. Its flowers are very attractive, they are formed from the ends of the shoots hanging down, but they need to be cared for. Moreover, beautiful flowers remain on the stems for a long time, since the buds open very slowly.
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Christmas tree varieties
Are very popular the following types of Decembrist:
- Schlumberger's truncated. This epiphytic cactus has jagged edges along the edges. Its long flower tube is slightly beveled. The plant has many colors of flowers: golden, white, salmon, pink, multicolor, raspberry and lavender.
- Buckley. It is this old type of plant that is usually called the Decembrist. Schlumberger's stems have rounded protrusions, and its shoots are drooping, which is typical, as a rule, of ampelous plants. Flowers of a lilac-pink hue appear on the outermost segments of the shoots. Moreover, each one consists of several petals.
Zygocatus life cycle
From October to November, the plant is dormant. During this period, the Decembrist needs to provide rest, while the temperature in the room should be about 16-18 degrees... Moreover, you will have to reduce watering, once a week will be enough. But in early December, the plant should be sprayed every other day.
In November-December, buds form at the zygocactus, so it must be watered abundantly and constantly as the earth dries up. The optimum temperature in the room should be at least 30 degrees.
In December and February, the flower pleases with its beautiful flowering. However, moving the pot and too dry air can cause the buds to shed, so it is best not to unfold the plant at this time.
The growth period falls on March-August. Zygocactus during these months requires uniform watering, good care, warmth and fertilizing with fertilizers every 14 days.
Proper care of the Christmas tree
It is not difficult to take care of such a flower at home. This plant, like all cacti, can do without water for a long time, however, it will not bloom.
Site selection and lighting
In order for the plant to always delight with its beautiful flowering, you need to put the pot in the place where the diffused light will fall on it. Indeed, due to direct sunlight, its growth can greatly slow down. The best place for growing a Christmas tree is considered to be partial shade.
Watering rules
The Schlumberger cactus does not well tolerate both too frequent watering and drying out of the earth.It is best to spray it at home when the soil is slightly dry. If we neglect this rule, then can harm the root system of the plant, because of which it may even die.
During bud formation, watering should be increased so that the soil is always slightly moistened. It is advisable to keep this mode until the zygocactus stops blooming. After that, spraying the Christmas tree is carried out only when the earthen coma dries.
The Schlumberger mix requires a rest period. When it comes, watering is recommended to be reduced, and the flower itself should be kept in a cool room. In general, the plant should be watered at home with warm water. In the summer, it is useful to spray it often. A warm shower can be used to wipe off the dust from the sheet plates. For this, the soil is covered with polyethylene, and the leaves are washed well.
Optimum temperature and humidity when caring for the Decembrist
As you know, zygocactus belongs to tropical plants, so it needs warmth. In summer and spring, the air temperature in the room with the flower should be not less than 18 degrees and not more than 25... At the same time, it is necessary to maintain 16-18 degrees of heat indoors in winter.
At the end of summer, the buds of the Christmas tree are laid. Flowers will appear from them in early December, so it is imperative to keep the temperature around 11 degrees. The thermal regime at rest of the plant should be within 6-8 degrees.
Dry air is destructive for the Decembrist, and during the formation of buds, this can even lead to their dropping. This is why it is so important to spray the flower regularly.
Fertilizing a cactus of the genus Schlumberger
You need to fertilize the plant at home during the growing season every 2 weeks, they stop feeding only during the rest period. For these purposes, any fertilizer intended for succulents or cacti is suitable.
Zygocactus formation
To improve the shape of the Christmas tree, you need to pluck the segments of the stems. It is better to do this work after flowering. Select a separation point, then clamp the lower part of the stem between your thumb and forefinger, and break off the upper part with a rotational movement. In this way, it will turn out to separate several parts of the stem at once. Remember that you cannot cut off segments!
Plucking helps to strengthen the stems and make flowering more abundant... A properly formed Schlumberger will live longer. Well-groomed Christmas trees have been growing and blooming for more than 20 years, while their trunk is twitching.
To enhance the flowering of the Decembrist and get the standard form, you will need a vaccination. In this case, the rootstock is a peyreschia cactus, its top is cut with a knife, and the stem is slightly split from above and a Christmas tree stalk consisting of several segments is inserted. For fixing use:
- Peioresque thorn;
- Long thorn.
Vaccination site wrapped with woolen thread... After the cuttings grow together on the rootstock, all the leaves are torn off and the bandage is removed. When the Decembrist forms the crown, it will have to be tied to a peg. Thus, it will be possible to avoid breaking off the plant. Zygocactus grows well in sod and leafy soil with the addition of a small amount of sand. In some situations, this plant is grown in peat.
Transplanting a Christmas tree at home
If the plant requires a transplant, then the prepared soil must be nutritious. Peat soil works well. Of course, the soil mixture can be made by hand. For this, small brick chips, leaf earth and peat are used.
It is necessary to lay high-quality drainage in the pot so that the water does not stagnate for a long time. Otherwise there is the likelihood of root rot... The root system of Schlumberger is not only weak, but also superficial, so it is better to use flowerpots wide and not too deep.Basically, transplanting is done after the plant has faded. Only young zygocactus are transplanted every year. Adult plants are transplanted only after 3 years.
Christmas tree breeding method
This flower is propagated by cuttings. For this purpose, use those parts that were separated during anti-aging pruning. You can simply separate the cuttings from the zygocactus. Before you start planting the Schlumberger, you must dry them well for two days, and then place into moist soil, slightly deepening... A greenhouse is made over the planted cuttings. For such purposes, ordinary glass jars are suitable. Then the pot with them should be placed in a warm place, most importantly, not in direct sunlight. By the way, from time to time the cans must be lifted for airing, otherwise the cuttings of the zygocactus may rot.
Schlumberger's enemies and diseases
Most often, such a plant is exposed to fungal diseases:
- Phitium;
- Fusarium;
- Phytophthora.
For the treatment of fusarium, fungicides are used, and phytophthora and phytium that affect the root collar are disposed of with the help of such means as Topaz, Maxim and Vitaros.
Bacterial diseases usually appear from infection of zygocactus with Erwinia pathogens. In such a situation, a dark spot appears at the base of the plant stem, which begins to spread over time. It happens that the stem discoloration occurs, and sometimes it acquires, on the contrary, a red color, unusual for a Christmas tree. It will not work to cure a flower with antibacterial drugs. The death of the Decembrist can only be prevented by removing the affected part of the stem and proper care. In advanced cases, it is advisable to carry out cuttings and grow a healthy plant, and the old one must be immediately disposed of.
Cacti of the Schlumberger genus are not interesting to insects, but sometimes they can be struck by slugs or red mites, although with proper and high-quality care, this happens very rarely. Even with excessive humidity of air and earth on the leaves of the plant scale insects and aphids may appear... It is not difficult to get rid of these pests; it is enough to treat the zygocactus with soapy water or special chemicals.
Problems with zygocactus photo
If the segments of the Decembrist turned red, then, most likely, he froze over. When the indoor temperature drops to 5 degrees, the plant takes on a brown hue. It must be transferred to warmer conditions, then the leaves will regain their green color.
Wrinkling of the leaves most often indicates an excess of moisture or a lack of it. A Christmas tree that lacks water wrinkles the segments, but after watering they are again take on a fleshy appearance... After 24 hours, the plant will look healthy, shiny and green.
Sometimes you can see that the Decembrist's leaves began to crumble due to an excess of water in the root system. Succulent plants can tolerate dry soil, but not liquid mud instead of soil. If such a problem appears, the zygocactus should not be watered for several days. Then it must be taken out of the pot and the roots must be examined, if they have a rotten smell and have darkened, then the cuttings of the plant should be planted immediately. Of course, you can try to cure it. To do this, you need to change the land and stop constantly moisturizing the Decembrist.
For the prevention and treatment of succulent flowers, fungicides are used. But you should use funds that have in their composition benomyl or chlorothalonilsince these components are considered to be the most effective. In general, with proper flower care, problems with growing should not arise.
