Zygocactus is a beautiful perennial plant. It is also known by the names "Decembrist", "Schlumberger" or "Christmas cactus." This representative of the Cactus family does not have a single spine and is abundantly covered with flowers. Many flower growers happily plant this unpretentious plant, one of the few blooming in winter. In the natural environment, it lives in Brazilian forests, on stumps and tree trunks. At home, caring for zigocactus is quite simple, but following simple rules will make the plant more attractive.
Botanical Description
Zigocactus live in moist tropical and subtropical forests in eastern Brazil. They are epiphytic plants, so their root system is thin and compact. In the soil, it is located in the upper layers. The crown of the flower consists of flat, soft stems. At a maximum height of 1-1.2 m, the length of creeping shoots can reach 2 m. Over the years, the base of the stem is lignified and acquires a brown color.
Shoots consist of flat, alternately connected leaves. Contrary to the name, there are no needles or other sharp elements on the zygocactus. The length of the sheet is about 5 cm and the width is about 2.5 cm. The edges of the sheet plate are wavy or jagged. They may have small areoles with thin and short villi.
During flowering, bright flowers 6-8 cm long bloom at the ends of the shoots. They consist of several tiers of narrow petals. The color of the flowers is cream, raspberry, pink, white or bright red. Flowering begins in mid-October and lasts until January. Each flower lives only 3-5 days.
As a result of pollination, round berries with a diameter of about 1 cm appear on the zygocactus. They are colored red or greenish-yellow and contain a small amount of seeds.
Types of Zygocactus
In nature, there are only 6 species of zygocactus. All of them are suitable for growing at home.
Zygocactus truncated. Shoots consist of small segments with serrated edges. The top of the sheet is as if cut off. The length of the leaf plate is 4-6 cm, and the width is 1.5-3.5 cm. At the end of autumn, pink, salmon or raspberry flowers bloom on the shoots. Their length is 6.5-8 cm, and their diameter is 4-6 cm. The fruit is a pear-shaped red berry 1.5 cm long.
Zygocactus Kautsky. The leaves of the plant are similar in shape to the previous species, but differ in more modest sizes. The segment length is only 2-3.5 cm, and the width is 14-18 mm. Purple flowers up to 5 cm are composed of narrow, pointed petals.
Zygocactus Russeliana. Flat stems consist of serrated lobes 1-4 cm long. Since November tubular flowers up to 5 cm appear on shoots. White-like stamens are visible from the funnel of pink petals. The fruit is a green-yellow ribbed berry.
Zygocactus orssichiana.Stems consist of large segments up to 7 cm long. Large teeth are visible on them. Light pink or beetroot flowers up to 9 cm long bloom in mid-November. In favorable conditions, flowering is also repeated in March and August.
Zygocactus opuntia. Young lobes are characterized by a flat shape and serrated edges. Over the years, the leaves are rounded and take a cylindrical shape. Pink or purple flowers reach 6 cm in length. In a green rounded fruit, 4-5 weakly pronounced ribs are visible.
Zygocactus microsphaerica. In this variety, even young segments are cylindrical. Their length is 1.5-4 cm and a diameter of 2-5 mm. In late March, small white flowers bloom on the stems. After pollination, oblong fruits ripen with 5 ribs.
Breeding methods
Reproduction of zygocactus homemade produced by rooting cuttings. In spring or early summer, sections of stems with 2-3 leaves are cut. The place of cut is recommended to dip in crushed charcoal. Cuttings are dried in air for 1-3 days. When the cut is covered with a thin film, zigocactus can be planted in the soil. Use containers with sand or sand-peat mixture. It is not necessary to dig in the cuttings. It is enough to install vertically and create a support. When the roots appear, seedlings can be carefully transplanted into separate small pots with soil for adult zigocactus.
Transplant Features
A zigocactus transplant is not necessary too often. Young plants are transplanted in 1-2 years, and older ones need only one transplant in 4-5 years. The zigocactus pot should be wide and not too deep. In epiphytes, the root system is located on the surface.
The soil for zygocactus is made up of the following components:
- lowland peat;
- river sand;
- pieces of pine bark;
- charcoal;
- turf land;
- sheet earth.
Drainage material about a third of the height of the pot must be laid out at the bottom. The soil needs to be slightly tamped, and the flower after transplanting is not watered for several days.
Care Rules
Caring for zigocactus at home is simple, the main thing is to create conditions close to natural for him. Decembrist loves bright rooms and long daylight hours. From the direct rays of the midday sun, especially in summer, it is better to shoot the shoots. The flower grows well on the windowsills of eastern or western orientation, as well as in the southern rooms. With a lack of light, the zigocactus does not bloom or produces a very small number of buds.
At the end of flowering, the Decembrist needs a period of rest. The plant is placed in a cool room, provide short daylight hours and moderate watering. In this state, the flower can withstand 1-2 months.
The optimum air temperature is + 18 ... + 22 ° C. It is advisable to maintain it throughout the year. In winter, slight cooling is allowed, but not lower than + 13 ° C. To avoid intense heat in the summer, you can take the flower to the balcony or to the garden. It is important to protect zigocactus from drafts and sudden nighttime cooling.
Humidity in the room where zigocactus grows should be above average. The plant receives moisture from the air, so it is necessary to spray the shoots more often or to place pallets with wet pebbles nearby.
Zigocactus should be watered moderately. When the earthen lump dries by 2-4 cm, the soil is watered abundantly with purified and warm water. The roots are very sensitive to fungal diseases, so it is important to provide good drainage to remove excess fluid.
Zygocactus needs small doses of top dressing. During the period of active growth and flowering, fertilizer for flowering plants is monthly applied to the soil.
Zigocactus is recommended to be cut immediately after flowering. Part of the young shoots at the joints of the lobes should be removed. This contributes to branching and abundant flowering, because buds are formed only at the ends of young shoots.
Diseases and Pests
Zygocactus can suffer from root rot due to excessive watering and low temperatures. Parasites rarely settle on its crown. Only occasionally can a spider mite be found on it. The reason for the attacks lies in the dry air. Insecticides (Aktara, Aktellik and others) help get rid of the parasite.
