Crab Claw Cactus
The editor explains common flower cultivation knowledge about the Crab Claw Cactus, providing guidance on its care and cultivation! Next, the editor will introduce the following.
Also known as蟹爪莲 (Crab Claw Cactus, Fairy Finger Flower, Crab Orchid, Christmas Cactus,骨折 Orchid, Cactus Family), the Crab Claw Cactus blooms during the Christmas holiday, hence it is also called "Christmas Flower" in the West. It is an ideal indoor potted plant during the winter season, adding brightness to the room with its drooping, umbrella-like appearance on a sunny windowsill. Native to the tropical forests of eastern Brazil, it often grows epiphytically on tree trunks or in shaded, damp valleys, with its branches hanging down to form a pendulous shape.
The Crab Claw Cactus prefers a warm, humid, and semi-shaded environment. The soil should be rich in leaf mold and peat. The optimal temperature for growth is between 20°C and 25°C, and it is not cold-resistant, with winter temperatures not falling below 10°C. It thrives in semi-shaded, humid conditions. The potting soil should be well-draining, loose, and fertile. In summer, it should be shaded from direct sunlight and protected from rain, preferably placed in a well-ventilated window, balcony, or eaves.
Dry air, high temperatures, and poor ventilation are detrimental to the growth of the Crab Claw Cactus, often leading to the spread of red spider mites, which cause the plant to grow poorly, with its变态 stems shrinking and falling off from the base. Preventing red spider mite damage should focus on improving ventilation. After the onset of the disease, a 0.8Be lime sulfur solution can be used for control. During the growing period, apply dilute liquid fertilizer, and from autumn until flowering, continue to fertilize regularly. When it gets cooler in autumn, move the plant to a sunny indoor location, prune the plant, thin out crowded stem nodes, and remove excessive small flower buds. The room temperature in winter should be maintained at around 15°C.
The Crab Claw Cactus is a short-day plant, which can bloom in 2 to 3 months under short-day conditions (8 to 10 hours of sunlight per day). If you want it to bloom in October, you can use an opaque light shield to subject the plant to short-day treatment in July, exposing it to light for only 8 hours a day, which will result in blooming by the end of September. After the flower buds appear, the potting soil should not be too dry, or the flower buds may fall off. When the flower buds first form, reduce watering appropriately, as excessive watering can also cause the buds to fall. During flowering, it should be placed in a cooler room (12°C to 15°C) to extend the blooming period. After flowering, there is a short period of dormancy during which the potting soil should be slightly drier. After the dormancy period, when new buds appear at the top of the变态 stems, normal watering and fertilization can resume.
In cultivation, it is often seen that some Crab Claw Cactuses grow well but do not bloom or bloom very little. In such cases, check if the placement location is appropriate, as it is a short-day plant that can only form flower buds with less than 10 to 12 hours of sunlight per day. If there is sufficient daylight and strong lighting after dark, the plant may not form flower buds. Excessive shading or too much fertilizer and water can also affect blooming. For plants that have been cultivated for 3 to 5 years or more, the canopy can often reach over 50 centimeters. To control the shape of the plant, you can cut the stem nodes short in spring and remove some weaker or crowded stem nodes. After thinning and shortening, the new stems will be lush and vigorous, with abundant blooming. In spring: After the temperature rises, it is best to place it outdoors and water it flexibly according to the moisture of the soil, watering only when the potting soil is dry, usually once every 1-2 days; In summer: Although the temperature is high and there is a lot of transpiration, the plant is in a dormant period in summer, so the potting soil should be kept dry, and it is not too late to water it after it is completely dry; In autumn: With less rain and suitable temperatures, the plant grows vigorously and requires more fertilizer and water, so water it thoroughly when the surface of the pot is dry, preferably with fertilized water, not just clear water; In winter: During the blooming period, maintain the potting soil with alternating wet and dry conditions.
The above is the complete content on the cultivation and care of the Crab Claw Cactus (Crab Claw Cactus, Fairy Finger Flower), hoping it can help you and that everyone will come to see more green plant and flower care knowledge!