I have a few house plants, but only ones that require little or no attention. Whilst I spend time nurturing my garden and outside pots, although my houseplants are in clear daily vision I have a tendency to ignore them, tipping the odd glass of water on them when I remember. It doesn’t seem to do them any harm and one that has thrived on neglect is the Cactus I bought last year.
Its official name is Schlumberger, known as a Christmas Cactus and also Thanksgiving Cactus, a name which makes much more sense and will explain why it is in full bloom now.
On the 5th November, after a summer of being abandoned on my kitchen windowsill, I noticed it was full of little flower buds. If you are one for reading instructions on how to care for plants, there are seemingly highly scientific directives about reducing light and temperature at certain times for specific periods – all too much for me to bother with!
True to the name of Thanksgiving Cactus, it was bursting with the most beautiful pink and white flowers by the 24th November. This Cactus does come in a range of reds and pinks, mine has petals which are shocking pink at the base graduating to white tips and bright red stamens, this beautiful Cactus sits on my windowsill abundant with candy floss color. Pretty good considering the non-care it receives during the year.
The Schlumberger is a succulent, loving humidity and low light, mine has defied all odds, it sits on my kitchen windowsill in full sun during the summer. I will, however, repot it in March as it deserves a great big thank you for looking so blooming good.
