Schlumbergera aka christmas cactus

Schlumbergera Russelliana

The Thanksgiving cactus, Schlumbergera truncata, the Christmas cactus, Schlumbergera bridgesii, and the Easter cactus, Rhipsalidopsis gaetneri look very similar.
The main difference is the time of bloom.

Christmas cactus. There are other differences, such as leaf shape and flower structure.

Care and recognition of holiday cacti.

I've seen christmas cacti and I never noticed it looked like my plant! Maybe because mine never flowered, I'm 30 years old and this has been in my moms house ever since I can remember. Never once saw it with blooms.... Wonder what we're doing wrong....

Folks at cacti/succulent forum should be able to help you figure that out. Could need more light, or need to be in a room where the lights aren't turned on after dark.

Here is a link that might be useful: Holiday cacti

here in MI ... they bloom in winter.. when the sun is low enough in the sky.. that it actually shines in the windows ...

which means... it is a light cycle plant... and yours isnt getting enough light ...

and mine go outdoors in full bright shade for summer ... and you cant believe . how well they respond ...

and this is why yours is scraggley looking.. as compared to the lush plants you see in the stores ..... not enough light ...

ken

Ken, BBS stores do not sell this plant. Those pots stuffed full of fresh cuttings are Schlumbergera truncata (Thanksgiving cactus, often with tags that say 'Christmas cactus,') and recently Hatiora gaertneri (Easter cactus.)

Judging from the blunt teeth on the leaves, that's one of the old fashioned Christmas cactuses; I don't see them for sale (probably what purpleinopp says). I got mine as a cutting from somebody I babysat for in the 60s. it's been restarted from cuttings a couple times but I choose to think of it as the same plant. The flowers are more symetrical than the ones you usually see for sale, I think they're really pretty. Worth putting up with the gawky foliage for.

These are long night plants. The official line is that you have to give them 12 hours of darkness per night for about 6 weeks in the fall to set flowerbuds. People put them in closets at night, etc. Having said that, mine never bloomed at all for about 20 years and since then they've bloomed every winter no matter what I do. I suspect the blooming started about the time I got a house so they could go outside in the summer; I guess the naturally longer nights as fall comes are enought to do the trick. (DON'T leave them outside long enough to get frosted though, that will kill them.)

WW

I tried to post a picture of mine and it didn't go through, lets see if it works this time.

WW

Fantastic!