There is something thrilling happening on the low shelf that I walk past on my way to the washing machine. This is where most of the houseplants live and, a few weeks ago, I noticed that the tips of my Christmas cactus were turning pink. It stopped me in my tracks. It was one of those grey winter days where it’s hard to find a smile, even when you look down the back of the sofa, but there I was, looking at the tiny pink tips, smiling.
I bought this cactus as a sprout in a supermarket about five years ago. It was an impulse buy which, as readers know, I don’t approve of, but there it is (and it was only £1). It was in the reject section, as so many “holiday” plants are, even before the actual holiday takes place sometimes. I had no expectations and, when it flowered, despite a houseplant care regime that at best is lackadaisical, I was shocked by the sheer extreme pinkness of its trumpet blooms.
I like soft pinks but this cactus — Schlumbergera x buckleyi — truly can out-Barbie Barbie. It’s a shocker but now it is my shocker, as I have grown to love it. Last year, about this time, when I moved from Bakewell to north Kent, the cactus was among the plants left overnight in the freezing car. She (yes, it’s definitely female) survived but clearly wasn’t happy.
I wasn’t sure she’d “perform” this year and so that is pleasing in itself. There’s more to it than that though. When I see her, I also see my grandmother. Her name was Mildred (Millie) and she was born in 1902 and lived in Iowa, where the snow really does pile up in winter, in a white clapboard house. In her front room she had a Christmas cactus. My mother took a snip back with her to Oregon (a mere 1,700 miles) and then we had a Christmas cactus that grew into something of a whopper. It lives on in my sister’s house. I have never taken a snip because I take international plant rules seriously, but now I don’t have to.
The flowers of Schlumbergera x buckleyi can be a vivid pink colour
ALAMY
It’s an heirloom plant that can, in some cases, live up to 100 years — and that is special in itself. I also appreciate the fact that it is tough. I suspect, if it had a choice, it would probably prefer to be living in its native southeast Brazil, in the rainforest, attached to a tree or rock. It’s a forest cactus, not a desert one, which explains why it likes humidity and partial sun. It has no leaves, but stems made up of leaf-like pads called cladodes. There are two main types of “holiday” cactus: the Thanksgiving cactus, as it is called in America, tends to flower a bit earlier and has slightly different-shaped cladodes. There is also a closely related Easter cactus but that is another story, and holiday.
• See red over poppies? I’ll stick to what really counts
For decades I bought poinsettias every year at Christmas and, for a while, I became over-involved with them, keeping them alive from year to year, shutting them in dark rooms, as they need 12-plus hours of darkness every day to force out the red bracts (which are their “flowers”). They are the UK’s most popular Christmas plant, with an incredible eight million sold every year. Most don’t survive long, disposed of with the wrapping paper and tree.
A Christmas cactus, even one bought for £1 at a supermarket, is not just for Christmas but for life. I’m stuck on this one now — no more poinsettias for me — and there is something refreshing about the fact that this is one plant that can never be part of the tasteful tablescaping movement. Leave that to the paper-whites. A Christmas cactus is all about having a party and making you smile.
• It’s time to declutter the garden
Gardeners’ questions
Q. Do you have any tips on turning over the gravel paths in our London garden to deal with the weeds? I read that apparently you should take a blow torch to them.
Nicole Smith
A. On the plus side, weeding gravel paths always feels rather therapeutic, but results can be short-lived. The best time to tackle them is on a dry day before weeds have set seed. Weed flamers (as they are called) do fry the weed but not all the roots. The most thorough option is hoeing or pulling them out (with their roots). There’s boiling water, but I can vouch that this is not practical for large areas. A spray solution of salt (dehydrates and kills roots), vinegar (kills foliage) and a few drops washing-up liquid (adds stickiness) is popular, although salt can harm soil, so avoid beds. Of course, there are chemicals. Meanwhile, weed membranes can be fiddly and give patchy results.
Do you have a gardening question? Ask Ann Treneman
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