Rose Easter Cactus (Rhipsalidopsis rosea)

Pink Star Cactus, Rose Easter Cactus

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Rhipsalidopsis rosea is native to Brazil. It is found growing as epiphytes on trunks and branches in cloud forest and primeval forest at elevations of 1000-2000 meters above sea level. This species was described by Alice Calvente & Daniela Cristina Zappi in 2011.

I. Appearance and Characteristics 

Rhipsalidopsis rosea, synonyms Hatiora rosea and Schlumbergera rosea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to south Brazil. It was first described, as Rhipsalis rosea, by Gustaf Lagerheim in 1912. It is one of the parents of the hybrid Rhipsalidopsis × graeseri, grown as the Easter or Whitsun cactus.

Rose Easter Cactus (Rhipsalidopsis rosea)
Rhipsalidopsis rosea-326914 gwendoline63 at Pixabay CC0 1.0

It is an epiphyte cactus plant which can form sizable shrubs with woody bases and reaching up to 25 cm long with leafless dark green or reddish purple (when exposed to sun or cold) stems, made up of distinct segments. The segments is flat or 3-5 angled, oblong or narrowly oblongolate.

This species blooms in the spring from the apical areoles that occur on the segments and usually with fine, brown bristles. The flowers are beautiful, broadly funnel form, fragrant, with a diameter of 3.7 cm. The fruit is yellow and has brown to black seeds.

II. How to Grow and Care

Sunlight

Schlumbergera rosea prefers bright indirect light, or the light shade of a lath house or shade house. They do not tolerate prolonged periods of strong, direct sunlight. You can put them outdoors in the frost-free period, such as hanging them in pots in the branches of a shade tree, but avoid the deep shade found under large mature trees. A shaded porch is another ideal location; south exposure is best as long as they are not in direct sun for more than a few hours in the morning. Indoors, they grow wonderfully well in a bright window, but fresh air movement helps keep plants healthy.

Temperature

Rose Easter Cactus (Rhipsalidopsis rosea)
亮紅仙人指 Rhipsalidopsis rosea [江都花卉節 Jiangdu, China] 阿橋花譜 KHQ Flower Guide CC BY-SA 2.0

This species needs cool temperature, especially at night in the winter, but never cold: in summer day temperature of 24-26°C, night 15°C to 18°C, in winter 10°C to 13°C. The plants are safest when kept dry during the cold, dull weather between September and April.

Watering

Frequent waterings are good if your soil mix is very well drained. If you have a heavier soil that tends to retain moisture, allow the soil to dry somewhat between waterings. Reduce the water in August and September to harden the stems that will be bearing the flowers, and then resume normal watering once the flower buds start to swell noticeably.

Humidity is important. Place the container on a tray of pebbles. Keep water in the tray to increase humidity around the plant. Continue caring for the plant this way until the plant finishes blooming. After blooming is done, let the plant rest by withholding water for six weeks. Resume watering then to keep soil fairly moist but let the surface dry out.

Substrate and growing media

Schlumbergera rosea grows best in a pot with a mixture of peat, loam, and sand, with the addition of a little rotted manure or leaf-mold, and some small brick rubble as substrate. The size of pots most suitable is what would be considered small in comparison with the plants. The pots should be well drained-about one-fifth of their depth filled with drainage.

Repotting every three to four years is usually adequate, but you may prefer to wait until the plant begins to look tired or you notice a few roots growing through the drainage hole. Often, a plant can bloom happily in the same pot for years. After repotting, no water should be given for a few weeks. In fact, if the atmosphere in which the plants are placed be kept a little moist, it will not be necessary to water them till signs of fresh growth are perceived.

Fertilizing

Rose Easter Cactus (Rhipsalidopsis rosea)

Use a good quality, balanced, soluble or granular fertilizer, such as a 10-10-10. If using full strength according to label directions, fertilize monthly. Otherwise, cut the fertilizer rate to about 25% of what is recommended on the label and fertilize with each watering. Stop fertilizing in September to reduce vegetative growth and help stimulate bud formation on strong stems; resume fertilizing after the blossom period. Occasional use of micronutrients may be helpful.

Flowering

By using the right combination of light and dark, you can stimulate the plant to bloom almost any time of the year. To initiate the production of flower buds, there needs to be at least 8 days of 16 hours of dark and 8 hours of light each day. Wherever the plant is placed, do not turn on the lights at night, even for a short period of time. That breaks the dark cycle required. Cool night temperatures (13-16°C) is also required. Avoid placing the plant where it receives either cold or hot air drafts.

Rose Easter Cactus (Rhipsalidopsis rosea)

Once buds are starting to form, plants should not be moved into a new location with radically different light or temperature conditions, as many of the buds will stop developing and abort. When in bloom, flowers will last longer if not exposed to high temperatures. Plants should bloom for 2-3 weeks at temperatures around 21°C.

Propagation

Schlumbergera rosea is usually propagated from stem cuttings. Individual “joints” can be used, or cuttings up to 2-3 joints long. Let the cuttings dry in a shady location 2-3 days and then put in a rooting medium such as perlite, or into a good soil mix. Keep the medium moist but not saturated. Rooting should take place in 2-3 weeks and new growth should start. New plants can be started any time of the year, but you may get better results in late spring through summer. After the new plants have started growth, pinch them back to encourage branching.

The plant can also propagate from seeds, and also by means of grafting. From seeds the plants are generally freer in growth than when cuttings are used, although the seedlings are longer in growing into flowering specimens than large cuttings would be.

Pests and Diseases

Rose Easter Cactus (Rhipsalidopsis rosea)

This cactus are fairly immune from pests, but scale insects, mealybugs, and spider mites can occasionally be problems. Use an approved houseplant insecticide according to label directions. Slugs and snails love these plants, so if growing your plants outdoors, keep the pots off the ground.

The plants have relatively few disease problems, but constant moisture in a poorly drained soil will promote the development of root-rotting fungi. If the plants are sagging and not growing even though the soil is moist, you should check to see if it has a healthy root system. If not, take some cuttings to start a new plant, and use a better-draining soil mix.

Rose Easter Cactus (Rhipsalidopsis rosea) Details

Common name

Pink Star Cactus, Rose Easter Cactus

Botanical name

Rhipsalidopsis rosea, Hatiora rosea, Schlumbergera rosea

Family

Cactaceae

Genus

Rhipsalidopsis

Species

rosea

Origin

Southern Brazil

Life cycle

Plant type

Hardiness zone

, ,

Flowering period

Flower color

Leaf color

Stem color

Green

Flower benefit

Uses

Dimensions
Dimensions 63630675053 × 63630675017 cm
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