(Schlumbergera or Zygocactus)
(or Christmas Cactus)
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You enter the series of the
2017 photographs of the hybrids of
Schlumbergera orssichiana.
photo 1/9
SCHLUMBERGERA x 'BRISTOL AMBER'
All the photographs of Schlumbergera of this year are photographs of "Queen hybrids".
I already presented the “Queen hybrids” of Schlumbergera several times on this website. They are all the hybrids of this genus containing Schlumbergera orssichiana (botanical species) in their pedigree.
These hybrids have several interesting characteristics:
1- Just like their botanical ancestor Schlumbergera orssichiana which blooms as early as September, the Queen hybrids are the earliest bloomers of all Schlumbergera hybrids. Those which I photographed this season 2016-2017 bloomed in September or in October 2016. So the name of “Christmas Cactus” is inappropriate for them. As for all Schlumbergera, the color of the blooms is influenced by the minimal temperature between the formation of the floral buds to the blossoming.
2- The Queen hybrids have large blooms with rather short tube and particularly elegant forms. This is why I did not resist taking new photographs.
3- On the other hand, these hybrids are (for me) more difficult to cultivate than other Schlumbergera hybrids and often grow slowly. They appear relatively sensitive to cold. It must be said that their common ancestor, Schlumbergera orssichiana, are not a species easy to cultivate (at least for me). Many clones are infected by viruses and of this fact are more fragile.
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