A schlumbergera xmas cactus in full bloom is one of the joys of container gardening that I encourage you to explore. And if you live in a zone where there are no frosts, or only rarely, you can certainly raise schlumbergera outdoors, and as a hanging plant they look their best. I will admit the colors of the schlumbergera in bloom look almost artificial, and most who enter our home surely wouldn't believe that it is actually a real plant in bloom, but it is indeed!
As you can see, the blooms on my plant are both red and pink, and even the novice gardener can apparently cross pollinate to produce an even greater variety of colors on one plant. You will need two or more plants with blooms in different colors, and when the flowers are open you simply touch one flower to another such that their pollen mixes. The pollen is on the little tip that protrudes, and whose name I have temporarily forgotten, but you know what I mean right?
That is all for now, and do look into filling your home with flowering houseplants, it is such a joy. Some of the buds on my orchid are nearly the size in which they will open, any day now, so I'll certainly share that with you, and the amaryllis bulbs that I started forcing, on the very late side, have also started to sprout the beginnings of some leaves, so exciting!
