Think of a blooming Easter plant, and the obvious image that comes to mind is the Easter lily. But there are many other possibilities, all of them in pretty spring colors. One of the more unusual is the Easter cactus.
Most are familiar with the Christmas cactus that blooms between November and December, but there is also an Easter cactus (there is even a Thanksgiving cactus). The Easter cactus looks much like the Christmas cactus, but it is quite different. We’ll start with the similarities.
Each are succulents in the Cactus family found in the rainforests of Brazil. More specifically, they are each epiphytes, plants that grow on other plants but derive moisture and nutrients from the air and so are not parasitic. Other common epiphytes as they are found in nature are orchids and bromeliads.
They are each named for the time of year in which they typically flower—the Thanksgiving cactus in November, the Christmas cactus in December, and the Easter cactus in the spring. Because of the confusion that may be around the different cacti, they are often marketed simply as a “holiday cactus.”
The segmented stem of each cactus is botanically a phylloclade (FIE-lo-clade), a flattened structure that photosynthesizes and functions as a leaf. For simplicity, often these structures are called stems or leaves.
Now we come to their differences.
Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti are in the genus Schlumbergera. The Easter cactus (also known as the Whitsun Cactus) is a totally different genus and species, Hatiora gaertneri, or variously classified as Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri.
For discerning plant lovers, the leaves and the flowers helps to correctly identify the Easter cactus.
The Easter cactus has leaves that are flat and segmented. The edges of the segments are slightly scalloped. The Easter cactus will have small bristles on the ends of each leaf.
The three cacti can be more easily distinguished by their flowers. Of course, the time of flowering is a giveaway, with the Easter cactus blooming in April and May, but the kinds of flowers are quite different. The flower of the Easter cactus is more star-shaped, almost taking on the appearance of a Gerbera daisy with a starburst center. They are more upright, compare to the pendulous blossoms of the Christmas cactus. The colors of the Easter cactus are more vibrant and can be purple, lavender, red, pink, peach, or orange.
Gardeners looking for something a little different this Easter season might consider this pretty Easter cactus.
Information from desertsucculents.com
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