How Can I Be Sure What Type Of Holiday Cactus I Own?

Are the flowers present on your cactus?

Are the flowers white or red, symmetrically distributed around each flower tube, and with purplish-brown anthers?

Are the flowers pink, red, white or yellow, asymmetrical, and with yellow anthers?

Do the stems have wide and flat, segmented leaves with slightly notched edges?

Do the stems have broad, segmented leaves with serrated edges on each side?

You have a Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii). The flowers are usually white or red but occasionally may be yellow. The blooming time is typically in December. The Christmas Cactus has purplish-brown anthers. Flowers are symmetrical being evenly distributed around each flower tube. The flowers are more pendulous and droop straight down from the ovary.

You have a Thanksgiving Cactus (Schlumbergera truncata). The flowers are pink, red, white, or yellow and they typically bloom in November. The Thanksgiving Cactus anthers are yellow. Thanksgiving Cactus flowers are more asymmetrical, protrude from the ovary, and extend horizontally from the tips of the stem segments.

An Easter Cactus (Hatiora gaertneri) flowers are royal purple, red, or pink and brighter than Christmas Cactus or Thanksgiving Cactus. The flowers are more star-shaped than the other two ‘Holiday Cacti’. It typically blooms in the spring months of April and May.

You have a Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii). It has wide and flat segmented leaves that are the smallest and roundest of all 'Holiday cacti'. The edges of the leaves have small indentations. Put another way, the stem edges are smooth and crenelated (slightly notched) but never toothed or jagged. The end or tip of each segment is very slightly curved but can look almost flat across.

You have a Thanksgiving Cactus (Schlumbergera truncata). It has broad segmented leaves with serrated (jagged) edges on each side. The serrated edges form into points. There are 2-4 points on each side. The end of the last segment is slightly concave with a point on each side.

Easter Cactus (Hatiora gaertneri) has flat segmented leaves that are similar to the Christmas Cactus but the most significant difference are the small bristles at the end of each leaf that can't be found on any other 'Holiday cacti'.