Christmas cactus

[zxcvbob]

I started a CC in December from a piece that fell off of my MIL's plant. It was growing nicely under fluorescent lights, and I repotted it about a month ago and moved it to my desk at work, right by an east-facing window and the lights are always off at night. I wanted it to be able to tell the day lengths.

I thought it should be going dormant now that the days are getting noticably shorter, but instead it's growing like crazy. At least a dozen new leaves in the past 2 weeks, and I see new ones starting to bud.

Hers was blooming at Thanksgiving; mine could be several weeks before or after that 'cause I'm hundreds of miles farther north.

Maybe the dormancy period is shorter than I think? And it doesn't start until after the equinox? I've never grown one of these before. (I had no idea they grow so fast)

Bob

[Brooklyn1]

There are several varieties:

[Dan Espen]

Dormancy?

I have 3 of them in a north facing window. They start blooming around Thanksgiving, end up around May. (I'm in central NJ.)

When I kept them in a south facing window they would bloom all at once, the plant covered in flowers. I think I like them blooming all winter. I turn the plant to see the flowers and another side starts blooming. I like that a lot.

As for going dormant, I never really noticed any dormant period. They put out buds and get bigger all the time they are not blooming.

[zxcvbob]

Okay, I'm worrying for nothing. :) I read somewhere that they go dormant for a while (and you stop watering) before the flower buds start. Thanks!

Bob

[Dan Espen]

That does sound familiar, hang around and see if anyone else agrees. I don't stop watering and the plants are doing fine. I do let them get pretty dry between waterings year round.