Rozhdestvennik, Decembrist, Zygocactus - this plant has many names, but it is invariably associated with winter holidays, since it is at this time that the Decembrists delight flower growers with numerous bright lights. Their flowers are usually raspberry or coral, but thanks to the efforts of breeders, more and more new hybrids with salmon, lavender, yellow, and purple color appear. Decembrists are plants that are unpretentious in care, so growing them yourself in your mini-garden on the windowsill is a pleasure.
Decembrists: flowers for the New Year holidays
Decembrists come from Brazil, where they grow as epiphytes in tropical forests, attaching their roots to stones or tree trunks and getting food through the foliage. Hence some of the features of keeping Christmas at home.
Planting and breeding
Decembrists are flowers that do not need a large deep pot for a comfortable existence, since their root system is poorly developed and is located in the upper soil layer. At the bottom of the containerbe sure to place drainage to prevent stagnation of moisture and subsequent rotting of the roots. Soil for the Decembrists is better to choose airy, loose and nutritious. Rozhdestvennik does not need frequent transplantation: once every 3-4 years is enough. It is better to carry out this procedure in March-April, when the flowering period ends and the plant is not so sensitive.
If during transplantation it turned out that the roots are damaged (rotted or die), you need to remove all these parts, rinse the roots with warm water, dry and only then plant in a fresh soil mixture.
The Decembrists propagate by seeds or cuttings. To prepare the cuttings, mature shoots consisting of several segments are separated (but not cut off) from an adult plant, dried for some time, and then placed, without deepening, on moist soil.
Water
Water Christmas likes moderate. Decembrists are flowers that, like all epiphytes, love moisture, but not waterlogging, especially in the cold season and during dormancy. Stagnation of moisture can cause rotting and death of the roots and even death of the plant. It is better to water with warm settled water.
Location in the apartment: temperature and humidity
Native to the tropics, the Christmas tree tolerates both bright light and partial shade equally well, however, like other epiphytic cacti, it is afraid of direct sunlight. During active growth and flowering, it is better to move the plant to a warm place, and during the dormant period - to a cool one. By lowering the room temperature,you can also "postpone" the start of flowering. So the ideal solution for a Decembrist is diffused lighting, moderate humidity and air temperature.
Features of care during flowering
Well, the Decembrist flower has finally decided to bloom. How to take care of him at this time? It is clear that during this period the Christmas tree is especially vulnerable and sensitive, so any change in the environment, whether it be a jump in humidity, temperature, a change in lighting or the angle of incidence of sunlight, can lead to shedding of buds. Therefore, try not to injure the flower by rearranging it to a new place, protect it from scorching sunlight.
As you can see, by providing simple conditions and paying a little attention, you can ensure that your favorite Decembrist flowers will delight you with unusually bright and abundant inflorescences. The photos presented on this page are an excellent confirmation of this!
