CHRISTMAS CACTUS SCHLUMBERGERA

IN FULL flower and healthy condition, this native of southern Brazil is a spectacular winter houseplant. Flattened, succulent stems hang attractively round the sides of the pot and are laden with pendant, vividly coloured flowers. Most are pinkish or reddish purple, but there are also white or pale orange forms. It’s important to grow it in an epiphytic cactus compost in a free-draining pot. According to cactusnursery.co.uk, a suitable compost would be: 60 per cent leaf-mould or peat, 20 per cent sterile soil and 20 per cent grit.