Decembrist (Schlumberger) flower: species and varieties

The Decembrist is a real gem of home flower collections. A relatively unpretentious plant to care for, blooms with bright flowers in the coldest time of the year - it begins to bloom in November, ends in January. It blooms for a long time and abundantly. These wonderful qualities did not go unnoticed by scientists; many varieties were bred, pleasing with a variety of colors.

The correct name for the Decembrist is Schlumberger's zygocactus (Latin Schlumbergera). There are several names among the people: crab cactus, Varvarin's braid, Varvarin's color, Dekabrina, Christmas tree.

The plant received the last name because the most active flowering occurs in December-January. And it is called "barbaric" because the beginning of flowering often coincides with December 17, when the Orthodox celebrate Barbarian Day.

Originally from the Schlumberger rainforest located in the southeast of Brazil. This fact explains the unusual time of its flowering - in this part of the world, it is in the midst of summer.

The Decembrist belongs to a large group of succulents. This is not a botanical species category. This is the name of plants that are able to accumulate fluid in tissues and in this way survive dry periods without any problems.

In nature, zygocactus often resembles a liana, its flowers are predominantly red and white. It grows on other woody plants, but uses them only as a support for roots. The flower is not a parasite; it receives nutrients from the environment with the help of leaves and a special system of aerial roots. Such plants are called epiphytes.

A natural Schlumberger can rarely be found at home, since it is difficult to care for, requires the creation of a special microclimate and has a rather solid size (up to a meter).

At home, Schlumberger does not grow above 50 cm, it branches heavily. The root system is rather weak and not very large, it is susceptible to diseases, but at the same time it is easily restored.

Flowers can be multi-tiered, with long graceful stamens. The petals, depending on the variety, have a very different shape: pointed, rounded, curved. Buds are formed at the ends of flat twigs-stems, which have a link structure and combine the functions of leaves and peduncle stems.

Breeders have bred many varieties that surprise with a variety of colors - from pink and orange to purple. However, there are no monochromatic blue Christmas trees yet.

The scientific classification of zygocactus is very complex; this plant has been described by botanists from different countries since the beginning of the 19th century. For amateur flower growers, a simpler version has been created, in which the main types of plants created by artificial means are distinguished. For a long time, it was them that could be found in home collections.

This is the oldest species. It is this persistent and unpretentious zygocactus, pleasing with a long flowering period - from November to March - that they began to call the Decembrist.

Strong lush plant up to fifty centimeters high tolerates habitat changes, caring for him does not present any difficulties.

The leaves of the plant are juicy, dark green in color. The buds and flowers of the Buckley zygocactus are large (up to eight centimeters), the color can be different, mainly pink and lilac shades.

Growers appreciate the "Truncated" look for the variety of colors and the unusual structure of the plant.

Flowers of this variety have two tiers and graceful curved petals. The refined look is complemented by pointed light green carved leaves. The "truncated" type is called for the special beveled shape of the flower tube.

Pleases this succulent and colors. Inflorescences can be purple, pink, white, crimson, orange, combined.

Delicate large flowers of the "White" type can almost completely cover the entire green mass of the plant. A profusely flowering bush of delicate colors is able to add a festive touch to the most austere interior.

Absolutely not capricious, but outwardly very attractive undersized Decembrist (no more than 30 centimeters) is a real find for novice florists. Inflorescences delight with red, purple, pink shades. Leaves-stems are juicy and bright green.

The species was bred exclusively by the efforts of botanists. In nature, Schlumberger does not have yellow flowers. Sunny, bright large "stars" look especially original on frosty winter days.

The unusual flowers of this Christmas tree resemble a lush double carnation with white or pale pink petals and yellow stamens. The plant looks great in a spacious room, giving it a ceremonial and solemn look.

A conspicuous and vivid flower. The contrast between red or orange bell-shaped inflorescences and dark green leaves gives particular expressiveness.

Schlumberger cultivar names reflect both the origin and the decorative characteristics of the plant. There are a lot of varieties, their description is more about differences in color and shape of petals. Stem links may differ in size, less often in shape and color.

It took many years of breeding work to develop the yellow Schlumberger varieties. Decembrist "Golden Fever" (or "Gold Fever") is famous for its multi-tiered large velvety flowers. Saturated yellow shades of petals with a delicate crimson center and bright green leaves give the plant a special zest.

A very compact variety with a surprisingly delicate color: large snow-white flowers have a long pink pistil and delicate yellow stamens. Pleases with long flowering (up to four months).

White-pink, not very large flowers of this variety resemble bright tropical birds that momentarily landed on green stems. Very cute, graceful and beautiful variety. It blooms generously and for a long time.

The charming, very delicate flowers of peach and pink with an orange border have rounded, curved edges and therefore appear larger. Stems are long, drooping. A rather rare variety with an unusual color - a real find for amateurs.

One of the most famous and unusual varieties. By crossing hot pink and snow-white zygocactus, scientists expected the main color of the petals to be pink, moving closer to the middle into pearl.It turned out the opposite, but no less beautiful: smoky petals are framed with crimson edging. Samba brasil is an amazing combination of elegance and brightness.

This variety is distinguished by a compact crown and bright red inflorescences with a light stripe in the center of each petal. Stem segments are short, glossy, deep green, very strong. The buds of one of the varieties, Kris Kringle II, are colored orange.

The cultivar has erect, stable shoots with small segments. The flowers are also not very large, painted in salmon and peach tones.

This variety is a real gem among the Decembrists. Elegant bright large flowers with rounded petals of lilac and lavender shades will undoubtedly decorate any room.

Red-orange flowers of this variety will paint any frosty day in bright tropical colors and create a sunny mood on New Year's holidays.

The unique tricolor variety is always delightful. Bright blue petals have burgundy or purple edging, the stamens are fiery scarlet. The exuberant flowering plant really resembles the frozen pas of a passionate dance.

The lush and vibrant flowering of Schlumbergera is easy to maintain with very simple maintenance. To do this, it is necessary to bring the conditions of its existence as close as possible to natural ones, taking into account the life cycle of the zygocactus.

In October - November, the plant rests. It should be watered no more than once a week, and the room temperature should be reduced to 18 degrees.

November and December are the time for the buds to appear. It is necessary to monitor the condition of the soil and water abundantly as it dries. At the beginning of December, it is necessary to create a humid "fog" around the plant more often and maintain the temperature at least 25 degrees.

December to February - flowering period... The plant loves light, but direct sunlight should not fall on it. At this time, it must be located on the southern, south-western side, to provide high humidity and diffused lighting. You cannot change the location of the pot at this time - the plant can shed its buds.

From March to August, the plant grows actively. At this time, you can transfer the Schlumberger to the north or east side, water well, feed regularly (once every two weeks).

The beautiful formation of the plant, stimulation of flowering is facilitated by a special procedure - plucking the stems. You cannot cut the segments with a knife, they need to be broken off, but it is better to carefully unscrew them. The operation is carried out at the beginning of summer, damaged, extra shoots are exposed to it. Thus, by the time of flowering, larger and brighter buds are formed on healthy young stems.

The watering regime should be carefully observed. Although the Decembrist belongs to cacti and is able to accumulate moisture, frequent drying out of the soil harms the plant. But he does not need too much watering either.

It is necessary to water the Schlumberger with warm, clean water (it can be settled, boiled, at room temperature). Cold water cannot be used for this purpose: the roots can rot, and the buds can stop development.

When choosing a soil, it should be remembered that in nature epiphytes grow on trees, so a light and loose mixture of peat, sand, leaf humus and garden soil will be ideal for them. Two thirds of the volume should be occupied by soil, one third by drainage.

The pot for the Decembrist should be wide and low, with several drainage holes.

The Christmas tree needs feeding, like all other plants. Fertilizers for cacti or succulents are suitable, but the dosage indicated in the instructions must be reduced. The optimal regime is once a month, during the growth period - once every 14 days, in October - early November, the plant should not be fertilized.

It also happens that, despite all the efforts, the Decembrist stubbornly does not want to bloom. To "wake up" the plant, experts advise to move it in mid-September to a cool place and leave it alone for one or two months. By the end of November, expose to diffused sunlight and increase watering.

When growing a Schlumberger, it must be remembered that the flower is really unpretentious and tenacious. It is a wonderful neighbor for other houseplants.

But abundant flowering, bright color of the petals can only provide correct and timely care. The plant will die only in the most extreme case, but it is quite capable of stopping flowering.

For even more about the types and varieties of the Decembrist, see the next video.