{"product_id":"cecilie-christmas-cactus-schlumbergera-truncata-cecilie","title":"Cecilie Christmas Cactus - Schlumbergera truncata 'Cecilie'","description":"\u003cp\u003eCecilie Christmas Cactus (\u003cem\u003eSchlumbergera truncata\u003c\/em\u003e 'Cecilie') is the white-flowered Christmas cactus, a fountain of arching, jointed stems about 40cm high and wide. Each stem tip opens into curled, ribbon-like flowers in pure white with hot pink stamens, and it blooms in winter when most indoor plants are quiet. A well kept clump lives for decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePure white with a pink spark.\u003c\/strong\u003e Clean white flowers with hot pink stamens stand out against the dark green stems and suit any colour scheme.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlowers in the cold months.\u003c\/strong\u003e Shiny buds form at the stem tips and unfurl through winter, when the house could use the lift.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBetter with age.\u003c\/strong\u003e Older clumps are spectacular in full bloom, so a young plant is a long-term investment.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eForgiving about water.\u003c\/strong\u003e It is drought tolerant, and wrinkled leaves tell you when it is too dry or too hot.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSafe around pets.\u003c\/strong\u003e Christmas cactus is not toxic to cats or dogs.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBright windowsills and living rooms.\u003c\/strong\u003e Give it good light with no direct sun. White flowers show up well against a darker wall, and a 40cm clump fits a side table or shelf.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHanging baskets and tall pots.\u003c\/strong\u003e The stems arch and then hang, so a basket or a pot on a stand puts the flowers at eye level. Plant one tube, or three together in a 20cm pot for a fuller clump sooner.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCovered patios and tree forks.\u003c\/strong\u003e Where nights stay above 10°C it can live outdoors in dappled light under a verandah. In tropical gardens it can be secured into a tree fork and grown like a bromeliad, as it does in the wild.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Cecilie Christmas Cactus in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Good light, no direct sun, which scorches the segments. It is frost tender and must be kept above 10°C, so it stays outdoors only in frost-free tropical, subtropical and sheltered warm temperate gardens. Elsewhere, grow it indoors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e A gritty, free-draining compost mix, or very free-draining soil. Empty any saucer that fills with water.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Water when the mix has dried out, a little more often in hot weather, and mist the leaves now and then. After flowering it wants a cooler rest below 18°C with less water. As temperatures rise, water more and feed with a liquid fertiliser while it grows.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e No regular pruning. After flowering, twist off a segment or two from the stem tips to encourage branching, and root the pieces as new plants.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe sell Cecilie Christmas Cactus as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. It arrives as a small, fresh plant rather than a flowering clump, so allow a year or two to build its fountain shape. Pot it into a gritty mix, keep it out of direct sun and water only once the mix has dried.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTube stock comes from our grower and is not always available. When the grower has none, the tube shows as sold out, and the notify button on the page emails you the day it is back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/indoor-flowering-plants\"\u003eBrowse indoor flowering plants\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-safe-for-pets\"\u003eSee more plants safe for pets\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/succulents\"\u003eExplore the succulent range\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/how-to-keep-your-indoor-plants-alive\"\u003eHow to keep your indoor plants alive\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhen does it flower in Australia?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn winter. The Christmas name comes from the northern hemisphere, but here the buds open from late autumn through the cold months, so expect colour in the middle of the year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy are my buds dropping?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMoving the plant, a draught, a sudden swing in temperature or light, or soggy soil can all make buds drop. Once buds form, leave the plant where it is and keep watering steady.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCan it live outside all year?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnly where it stays frost free and above 10°C, in dappled shade under cover. Elsewhere, keep it indoors and move it out only in warm weather.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube (Backorder)","offer_id":67790879424831,"sku":"SCH-TRU-CECILI-tube","price":23.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/cecilie-christmas-cactus-schlumbergera-truncata-cecilie.jpg?v=1792211018","url":"https:\/\/nurserynearme.com.au\/products\/cecilie-christmas-cactus-schlumbergera-truncata-cecilie","provider":"Nursery Near Me","version":"1.0","type":"link"}