Decembrist - a flower that belongs to the family of epiphytic cacti, the genus Schlumberger. The plant, like other epiphytic species, is developed through photosynthesis, however, with insufficient nutrition, it begins to extract useful substances not only with the help of the root system, but also from the air, using additional air roots for this.
In botany, the Decembrist - the flower became known as a zigocactus, and bears its national name due to the formation of colorful buds in the first month of winter, which can delight the eye with their delightful flowers almost until February. In the homeland of the plant in South America, summer begins at this time.
Decembrist Flower Care
The plant has been known in Europe for a long time and, along with other indoor flowers, is very popular. The wide distribution of the Decembrist due to its unpretentiousness. Zygocactus, like other epiphytic plants, can go without water for a long time. But in this case, it will cease to bloom, since it retains nutrient moisture for life, and there is not enough strength to form buds.
If you set a goal, then you can achieve from the Decembrist prolonged flowering, up to four times during the winter at short intervals. To do this, the plant will need a lot of light, sufficient watering and favorable temperature conditions.
The Decembrist-flower loves sunlight very much. The plant belongs to cacti, which in natural conditions choose places higher, where there is a lot of sunlight. In winter, on short daylight days, you must put the pot on the windowsill near the largest and brightest window. Although the flower feels great in shaded places. During flowering, it can be placed higher and further away, for example, to decorate a floor oasis. Due to the fact that the Decembrist is an epiphytic flower, it can be planted in one pot to higher brethren.
In conditions of dry air of central heating, it is required to carefully observe the regime of watering the plant. The earthen lump must not be allowed to dry out, otherwise the flowers may wither, and new young buds fail to bloom. During flowering, the plant should not be sprayed, because buds and flowers do not like this procedure. It is best to wipe the plants of the Decembrist with a damp cloth. Until the cactus blooms, it must be sprayed.
For growth, a few tablespoons of soil are sufficient for the Decembrist, due to its epiphyticity. The root system is poorly developed, and nutrition is produced mainly by aerial roots. Such requirements are minimal, but you should not put a Decembrist in a spacious flowerpot. In the presence of a large amount of free space, the plant between waterings will not be able to absorb all the incoming moisture, and this can lead to rotting of the roots and root sections of the stem.
In general, when watering the Decembrist, moderation and mode should be observed. It should be borne in mind that the plant can get additional moisture from its air roots, which are also a flower health detector. If the roots look dry or wilted, then the Decembrist does not have enough moisture. Then it is necessary to increase the humidity in the room with a humidifier and spray the space near the blossoming flower, avoiding the ingress of water on the buds of the plant.
Although the Decembrist flower is not too sensitive to the readings of the thermometer, but temperature conditions below 12 or above 26 degrees can lead to the rejection of flowering. The plant is loyal to airing, it will withstand exposure to drafts. But still, do not get involved in this procedure, especially in the winter. Otherwise, the cactus will be cold and will not be able to please you with beautiful flowers in the cold.