Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Perennial
Origin
Brazil
Europe, Northern Europe, Western Europe, United Kingdom
Types
-
M. v. brevipetala
M. v. collina
M. v. frozen
M. v. grandiflora
M. v. paui
M. v. verna
M. v. japonica
Number of Varieties
37
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Mountains, Humid climates
gardens, Grassland, Prairies, Suburban areas, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99994-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
8-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Mat-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm7.60 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm20.30 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Orange, Pink, Salmon
White
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Pink
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Toothed
Tiny
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Fall, Late Fall, Early Winter, Winter
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Stem Planting, Transplanting
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water
Keep ground moist, Never Over-water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water more in summer
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Fungal Diseases
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Semi-Double
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Butterflies
Allergy
Eye irritation, sneezing
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Burns, Thyroid problems, tuberculosis
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Christmas Tree, Used as Ornamental plant
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Hanging Basket, Houseplant, Tropical
Alpine, Container, Edging, Groundcover, Lawns and Turf, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
SCHLUMBERGERA truncata
MINUARTIA verna
Common Name
False Christmas Cactus
Irish Moss
In Hindi
False Christmas Cactus
आयरिश काई
In German
False Christmas Cactus
Irish Moss
In French
Cactus de Noël
Irish Moss
In Spanish
cactus de navidad
musgo de irlanda
In Greek
False Christmas Cactus
Irish Moss
In Portuguese
flor de maio
Moss irlandês
In Polish
Szlumbergera ucięta
mech irlandzki
In Latin
False Christmas Cactus
Irish Moss
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cactaceae
Caryophyllaceae
Genus
Schlumbergera
Minuartia
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Rhipsalideae
-
Subfamily
Cactoideae
-
Number of Species
150
1
27800
👆🏻