Re: Christmas Cactus

My Christmas cactus did something similar 2 summers ago.  Just fell apart.
I took the sections and tucked them into the soil in a new pot.  More than
half are growing just fine (blooming or preparing to bloom now), the others
are still green but lie on the dirt - flat, just as you describe.  I have no
idea what is wrong with the poor thing, and no idea why half of the starts
look great and the rest I should probably give up on.  They share pots and
soil, go figure...

I'm pretty sure they live a good long time - I have a friend who has a one
that's at least 3 feet by 3 feet, and she's had it maybe 25 years.  It is
gorgeous when it's blooming.

Libby
MD zone 6 where it's raining today


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kitty" <kmrsy@comcast.net>
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Friday, November 28, 2003 10:49 AM
Subject: [CHAT] Christmas Cactus


> Donna,
> What a shame about your Cmas Cactus.  I'm pretty sure that
Easter/Cmas/Tgvg
> Cactus are much longer-lived than that.  Schlumbergera x bridgesii is an
> epiphyte and in its native jungle habitat grows in leaf debris in the
clefts
> of tree branches.
>
> Cmas Cactus, Schlumbergera x bridgesii, is a host of the tomato spotted
wilt
> virus which is transmitted by thrips.
>
> Also susceptible to Pythium Root Rot: Symptoms:Plants wilt and die.
> Management: Plant in pasteurized potting mix. Discard infected plants.
Apply
> metalaxyl, etridiazole or etridiazole + thiophanate methyl to protect
> healthy plants. More info:
> http://www.cas.psu.edu/docs/CASDEPT/PLANT/ext/xmascact.html
>
> Major Christmas Cactus disease problems include Fusarium, Erwinia,
> Helminthosporium, Pythium and Phytophthora with the first three pathogens
> being foliar while the latter two cause a basal and root rot.  Again
> appropriate measures should be taken to prevent and control these
problems.
> (Daconil F or Domain F for foliage, Subdue or Truban for drench.)
>
> Another virus I found it is susceptible to is Cactus X potexvirus (barrel
> cactus virus), transmitted by mechanical inoculation; transmitted by
> grafting; transmitted by contact between plants; not transmitted by seed.
> Host species (hosts exhibit no symptoms) include:
> Amaranthus, Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica, Beta vulgaris, Cactaceae,
> Celosia argentea, Cereus, Chenopodium, Echinocereus procumbens,
Echinopsis,
> Epiphyllum, Ferocactus acanthodes, Gomphrena globosa, Ocimum basilicum,
> Opuntia vulgaris, Pereskia saccharosa, Schlumbergera bridgesii,
Zygocactus.
> However, I wasn't able to determine from info I found on this virus what
the
> results are in the infected plant.
>
> Kitty
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Donna " <justme@prairieinet.net>
> To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
> Sent: Friday, November 28, 2003 7:09 AM

 >
> > And my X-Mas cactus, which I had for a good 6-7 years has died... just
> > shrived up and couldn't save it..... do they have a life span or
> > something? It is still green, but drooping there and all the inner
> > substance seems to be gone, flat as a pancake so to speak.... not over
> > or under watered, no signs of bugs... duh?

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