flower buds on the epi.

I've never got one even that far! I was given a Christmas cactus one year, in flower, but when they dropped I was never able to get them back. Got another one, given to me by a GoYer, so fingers crossed this time.

I can't honestly say that I've had much luck with them either. Some bloom around Christmas and some of them bloom at Easter! It took me a couple of lost ones to appreciate that they like to be moist. I assumed that as a cactus they would die if I watered them too much. live and learn, aye?

I think the Easter ones are pink and the Christmas ones are red - I've had some of each, bought or given to me in flower, which was the only flowers they ever showed.

What I read about the Crimbo ones was to reverse the usual procedure: keep them dry-ish in summer and moist in autumn-winter, as that was their flwoering season. Didn't have much luck with that, maybe I got wrong information.

That's amazing it's blooming so late. The only ones I have blooming over a very long period of time is Epiphyllum oxypetalum and a white variety and golden charms.

yes, you are right Fran. And the day length is what triggers the blossom. (if they are in a spot which gets natural light only (shortening days) with no lamp or street light they should blossom right on time)

that might be why mine don't - I use daylight bulbs and maybe they're thinking that it's the longest day every day!

LOL...I had a friend who used to bring hers on by putting them in the cellar...or a closet! she would bring them out at about thanksgiving and water them and low and behold she had flowers all winter!

The prob with "out of sight" is that it's also "out of mind": when I first started the miniature iris bulbs that I'd been given, I put them in a cupboard as per insstuctions, and totally forgot about them for weeks.

I could try the airing cupbaord, but I'd have to hang something on the door handle to remind me that there's something in there