Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Tree
Origin
North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Central America, South America
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Types
Schlumbergera
-
Number of Varieties
153
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Mountains, Humid climates
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99994-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
9-1
Sunset Zone
7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
45.70 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
71.10 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple
Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Pink
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Toothed
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
-
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Stem Planting, Transplanting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Requires little pruning
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
Eye irritation, sneezing
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Erosion control, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Christmas Tree, Used as Ornamental plant
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
SCHLUMBERGERA x buckleyi
BETULA nigra
Common Name
Thanksgiving Cactus, Crab Cactus
River Birch
In Hindi
क्रिसमस कैक्टस
River Birch
In German
Weihnachtskaktus
Fluss Birch
In French
Cactus de Noël
Birch river
In Spanish
Cactus de Navidad
river Birch
In Greek
Χριστούγεννα Cactus
ποταμός Birch
In Portuguese
Cacto de Natal
river Birch
In Polish
Christmas Cactus
Rzeka Birch
In Latin
Nativitatis Cactus
Betula
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Fagales
Family
Cactaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Schlumbergera
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Cactoideae
-
Number of Species
63
1
27800
👆🏻