The Christmas Cactus

                       
The Christmas Cactus - (Schlumbergera) is a small genus of cacti with six species found in the coastal mountains of south-eastern Brazil. Plants grow on trees or rocks in habitats which are generally shady with high humidity and can be quite different in appearance from their desert-dwelling cousins. Most species of Schlumbergera have stems which resemble leaf-like pads joined one to the other and flowers which appear from areoles at the joints and tips of the stems. In Brazil, the genus is referred to as Flor de Maio (May flower), reflecting the period in which they flower in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, that will coincide with December, hence the connection as a Christmas cactus. This genus contains the popular house plants known by a variety of names including Christmas Cactus, Thanksgiving Cactus, Crab Cactus and Holiday Cactus. In Europe, these plants are largely produced for sale in the period before Christmas, and are called:  Weihnachtskaktus in German, Cactus de Noël in French, and Cacto de Navidad in Spanish.