Origin
The Christmas Cactus, orSchlumbergera × buckleyi, is unlike most other cacti in that it originates from the hot, humid rainforests of Brazil, rather than the typical dry, arid desert environments that most cactus varieties call home. It was first documented in the 1800s.
Their name comes from the fact that they typically bloom with their bright, colorful flowers just in time for the holiday season, making them a great gift or decorative piece for the winter.
They are so called Epiphytes which means that In the wild, they typically grow on the branches of tropical trees. Their flowers can come in a range of colors, including red, pink, purple, yellow or white.
They can live around 30 years as a houseplant (and potentially even much longer with the right care), with repeat flowering cycles - they're a gift that keeps on giving!
Care
As these are technically tropical plants, you shouldn't treat them like you would a typical cactus or succulent. They prefer comparatively cooler temperatures and won't tolerate overly dry and sunny conditions. In their natural environment, they're used to the light being filtered through the canopies of trees, so bear this in mind when deciding where to place yours.
These plants will also need more water than most cacti, although it's still important to ensure you don't overwater them.
As they like moisture, they can benefit from regular misting. They'll also enjoy being placed in a more high-humidity spot in your home, such as the kitchen or bathroom.
Blooming
They can adapt well to lower light conditions, however, note that if you want yours to bloom it is more likely to do so if it has a long period with access to a good amount of light throughout most of the year. Blooming is mainly induced by long nights. The plant requires 12 to 14 hours of continuous, absolute darkness each night. Even a short burst of light (like a street light or a room light being turned on) can interrupt the cycle and prevent bud formation. This long-night period needs to be maintained for about 6 to 8 continuous weeks to ensure complete flower bud set.
They still need a good amount of light during the day. Two alternatives if you want to induce blooming at a certain time, is to either move the plant to a dark room, for example a closet in the evening, and move it back out in the light in the morning again. Alternatively you can also keep it in a dark room and give it a grow light set on a timer to be on for 10 h/day.
Slightly cooler night temperatures will also help it bloom more easily. Ideal temperatures to induce blooming are about 55°F to 65°F (13°C to 18°C) at night and 65°F to 70°F (18°C to 21°C) during the day. While cooler temps can help, the day length is the most important factor for buds to form.
Other
If you're looking for a Christmas gift for a pet-friendly home, then the Christmas Cactus is for you! Unlike the other holiday favorite, the Poinsettia, the Christmas Cactus isn't toxic.
When your Christmas Cactus is flowering it's a good idea to keep it in a room which has the lights turned off at night. That's because they are adapted to start flowering once the days start to get shorter. The flowering is triggered by the longer nights whereas other plants' time of flowering is usually determined by temperature or other factors.
There's a Brazilian legend regarding the Christmas Cactus which has given it its charming reputation as a symbol of 'answered prayers'. The legend details that a young boy living in the jungle would pray to God to show him a sign that Christmas was coming, and he was said to have woken up the next day surrounded by the flowers of the Christmas Cactus.