Decembrist

Cancerous neck, Christmas cactus, Varvarina Spit, Zikokaktus Schlumbergera - all these are the names of the plant, known to most gardeners as the Decembrist. A flower differs from many in its flowering time. That is what he gained his popularity. When other flowers have faded and are unremarkable, the Decembrist dismisses his luxurious inflorescences.

Decembrist - the flower of the Christmas holidays. After all, it is at this time that it blooms to the joy of those who grew it and their home. Due to the fact that the Decembrist is known for a long time, it is called the "grandmother's" flower.

Where did the Decembrist come from?

The historic homeland of the plant is the tropical rain forests of South America. Few plants growing on our window sills, can boast that they have retained their ancient "habits". The Decembrist is one of those very exceptional cases when an cultivated plant growing on a window sill blooms at the very moment that its wild-growing counterparts.

Zigokaktusy are forest plants. The light hits them only through the crowns of trees, and the humidity in the air in their homeland is very high. In addition, plants located in tropical rainforests have a soil deficiency. Decembrists do not like sudden changes in temperature. This is due to the fact that such does not happen in the natural area from where they came to us. Therefore, in order for your flowers to be healthy and beautiful and in time to bloom, you need to protect them from these drops.

In the wild, the Decembrists are found with white or bright red flowers. For indoor species, breeders offer more and more new colors, creating various hybrids and varieties. Now on the windows you can see bright orange, purple and coral Christmas flowers. In addition, the selection allows you to display such varieties that with proper care will please the eye 2-3 times a year.

Decembrist care at home

How to care for this piece of rainforest at home? Although the flower is exotic in origin, flower growers do not include it as a capricious plant. You can succeed in growing up the Decembrists by doing some simple rules.

• It must be remembered that the plant is a forest (this was mentioned above), and therefore it does not like direct sunlight. To make the Decembrist feel comfortable on your windowsill, try to make sure that he does not stand on the southern or western windowsills. After all, it is in these places that the most intense lighting. If you manage to save the plant from direct sunlight, you will not encounter a slowdown in its growth and the shedding of the last segments.
• In the summer, the Decembrist prefers to be in the open air. You can successfully put it on the balcony, loggia or garden in the country. In this case, lighting plays a very important role. If you put the same Decembrist in a place where a lot of sun gets on him, then try to lighten up this place a little. It is great to feel the Decembrist will be close to the window, which, in turn, should be covered with a transparent curtain. This position is best suited for the Decembrist, as he likes penumbra.
• Separately worth mentioning about watering this plant. He should be moderate. If the Decembrist is watered abundantly, the earth will not have time to dry out, resulting in the formation of suppuration of the roots. Excessive watering for a plant during the cold season is especially bad, but even the hottest summer, the Decembrist still should not be watered with cold water. Water for irrigation should be separated.

• In order to remove dust from the leaves in a hot time, spraying should be applied. Very often for these purposes use the shower. If you decide to bathe your plant in this way, do not forget to cover the ground in a pot with polyethylene so that it does not become saturated with moisture excessively.
• Your plant can please you not only with beautiful flowering, but also with the fact that to liveDecembrist can long enough. Its lifespan can last up to 15-20 years with proper treatment, of course. It should also be noted that over time the plant will lose its former shape and may look much worse. This happens because over time the shoots of the Decembrist become more rough and less branched. It will help the plant not to lose its beautiful appearance by finally periodically pinching the shoots. This process contributes to the fact that the crown of the plant remains thick. Using this simple method, you can prolong the youth of your plant.

The Decembrist is an unusually beautiful and exotic indoor flower. It requires almost no special care. And with all the exoticism of his origin, he probably already managed to become for you a real symbol of joy, holidays and comfort in the house.