Easter Cactus, Rhipsalidopsis, Assorted and Sold Individually, 4"
Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri
Easter cactus grows as a pendulous branching plant and lacks spines. The segmented stems are composed of flattened cladodes (leafless photosynthetic units) with notched margins. The funnel-shaped flowers have numerous petals and are usually borne at the terminal cladodes. The Easter cactus is a Brazilian native. It thrives in the humid climate of the Tropical South; everywhere it should be grown as a houseplant. Its an epiphytic cactus, meaning it should be kept damp and cool to mimic the conditions of its original rainforest home. It has flat and jointed succulent leaf segments that grow 2 or 3 inches long, with hair-like bristles surrounding the edges. The Easter cactus produces showy, star-shaped flowers in pink, orange, red, and white hues. It blooms in spring and then again in late summer and early fall.
- Assorted and Sold Individually in 4³ Pots
- Please choose your favorite in order notes.
- Plants actually need cool temperatures
- Long nights to set buds
Celebrate Spring and Easter with this cactus.
Assorted colors of blooms available. Please choose your favorite in order notes. No Preference? We'll send you are favorite.
The Easter cactus plant (Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri) comes in a variety of bloom colors. Usually they are in bloom at the time of purchase and are common holiday gifts. Flower tones range from white to red, orange, peach, lavender and pink. Even following its bloom, the plant has an interesting appeal in its unusual shape. The segments are added onto by new growth, creating a rickety stacked appearance. The plant doesnt have the same spines as a desert cactus, but a more undulating form with softer pointed nodes on the edges of the leaves.
These plants perform best in bright light, but not direct sunlight. Unlike desert cacti, they need cooler temperatures, even during the day, and will bloom for months in nighttime temperatures of 55 to 60 degrees F. (13-16 C.). Keep the soil lightly moist and allow it to dry out before watering again. Good Easter cactus care means repotting the plant every two years in spring. The plants enjoy being pot bound, but give it new soil and return the plant to the same pot.
