The Holly trees I'm familiar with are either male or female, only the females bear berries. We had a magnificent looking holly tree in our garden when I was a youngster, alas it was a male, no berries but the three holly trees across the street were absolutely loaded with berries every year.

Christmas Cactus need short days to set flower, so no artificial light after it gets dark should help.

Annette

Thanks, Annette!

Also, the repotting may have set your Christmas cactus back - they bloom better in a crowded pot.

I think it is a combination of things that brings on bloom in a Christmas cactus. Day length, temperature, fertilization, pot size. Repotting can set the bloom period back, but it is good to do as the soil in containers tends to get full of fertilizer and mineral salts that are pretty damaging to these plants. But I really think it is the difference in day length and temperature that make the most difference. They seem to rest all summer, then as it cools and the days shorten they start to grow more segments, and then a bit later they bud up. So I think that bringing on this rest period is important, so the plants get the rest cycle that prepares them for blooming. I would hold back watering and fertilizing so much in summer, then when they start to grow again in fall start watering and fertilizing again. Always let the soil dry some between waterings, just do it a bit more in summer. The higher temps can help with this. They are jungle cacti, so they don't want to be totally dry, just drier in summer, if that makes any sense. If you always stick to a routine, then maybe the plants don't get the signals they need. Just pay attention to when the plant is growing, and be sure to water and fertilize then, then don't do it so much when the plant is resting. Sometimes mine bloom a bit in the late winter/spring, so you could look for a rest period in late winter and then capitalize on that to bring on a spring bloom.

I think hollies come in male and female plants, but I've never grown them as it is too alkaline here for them.

In the spring your holly should flower. When it does you can tell from the bloom shape whether it is a male or female tree. The female plants have an embryonic berry visible in the centre of the flower. Google some pictures to see the difference.

Here is a link that might be useful: Male and female holly flowers

"they bloom better in a crowded pot."

If that were the case, I'd expect there would be a dearth of blooming schlums in the wild. ;)

Schlum respond to a change in daylength and, as Annette mentioned, artificial lights can disrupt this. (Schlums can bloom again in the spring when daylength gets longer as well.) Temperature can be a factor (including with bloom color), but daylength is the critical factor.

Most hollies are indeed either male or female. Odds are yours is male. In which case, enjoy the tree for what it is.

Holly does indeed come in males and females. To complicate things further, it also comes in many different species. Only the females produce fruit, and only if there is a nearby male of a sufficiently similar species, AND bees to transport pollen between the two. The big holly bush could be a male, or the only female of that particular species in the area, or (less likely) you could have a shortage of bees.

When it flowers in Spring take pictures and post them to the "Name that Plant" forum. People should be able to identify it's sex and species. (NOTE: Holly flowers are tiny and not very noticeably). If it's a female, people can help you figure out what sort of "boyfriend" to plant for it.

Female holly trees usually start producing fruit when they are still pretty small. So...even the smaller ones should have berries.

I can answer about Christmas Cactus. Yes, repotting it probably set it back. I split and repotted a really large one I had and it took 2 years for the pair to come back as healthy as it was prior to that. That will only be a last resort if they ever get sickly. They really DO like crowded pots.

Also, I've always kept my Christmas Cactus in a southern window...all year long. I've never forced it to bloom by putting it in the dark, it just seems to know when November comes and it has bloomed clear through the month of March at times. They sit back from the window about a foot or so, but otherwise, I don't do anything different. I do, however, feed it regularly. And don't make the mistake of thinking they need acidic soil...they do not. My Mom almost killed the one I gave her by giving it food for other acid-loving plants. I just use a water-soluble food at the lowest dose and feed it every time I water, giving it a little bit more when it is flowering. Jungle Flora works really well.

Here is a link that might be useful: Liquid Christmas Cactus Food

So, last year I bought a christmas cactus in a 12 inch pot on sale for $5 after it had finished blooming and was looking sad.

In March I divided it into eight 12 inch pots (I've a propogation problem) with the intend of using ithem for decorations during Christmas. I threw them in the north covered porch along with all the young succulents, etc, and ignored them except to give them a drink every week.

In Oct when the weather was turning, I started bringing in the succulents and such and noticed the Christmas cactus all had buds and would be blooming! yea! I only had room for 6 so left 2 outside. The ones inside did good, bloomed for a few weeks, and are now in rest.
The 2 left outside have bloomed nonstop, with neglect, and 17 degree freezes uncovered, Just took this pic and it's Jan 4th!

Who'd a thought!

In March I plan on not dividing them but do intend to try a couple inground, and the others back to the north porch. They all will be staying outside over winter next year because they are doing crazy out there!

I

Great plant, Laurabell, but that looks to be a Thanksgiving Cactus.

tj

Well, shoot,

New to this plant and the tag said Christmas cactus red,

I'm sure there are several lessons I should be learning here!

For some reason Schlumbergera truncata is being sold as a Christmas Cactus in many places. Schlumbergera x buckleyi is the real deal, however.

tj