wonderful cactus

Goodness - it likes you!

Have to confess its mutual - but its never performed like that before...

Some Triffid blood there!! It's lovely.

Gosh, over 50yrs old - well it is doing well!

Beautiful :)

Maybe old but its a beauty.

Looks very spritly to me.

stunning stera :o)

It is quite amazing.

Wow what a stately plant. I hope mine last that long, but it is nigh impossible

They are tough cookies Marjories. It usually has some flowers but not like this year's. Don't over water it, keep it dryish over the winter and give it a good watering in the spring. After flowering give it a good feed.

Fantastic show it s given you such a beautiful flower too. Just shows age can still hold its beauty.

Wonderful, Stera! ??

What a plant Stera. It has really gone for gold this season.

Can see why it's known as the orchid cacti - definitely deserves to be looked after.

Wow, it is stunning.

It's amazing! We've had one for a good few years, but I never realised they could live that long.

I don't think there's a lot of the original one left - it would be more honest to say its a descendant of the original. I can't remember now, its all a long time ago...
When I was in my teens I joined the local branch of the Nat.Cactus and Succulent Society. Most of the members were men and they were ever ready to show a teenage girl their greenhouses and give me cuttings... I still have descendants of the original 'christmas cactus'from the same source - its amazing to see the development of the flowers since then - the original has fairly small flowers in comparison, and the whole plant is much more lax than the modern ones. I only keep it for sentimental reasons and because I can't throw anything away if its still alive...

(I still have my prize tickets from their summer show, lol!)