Christmas cactus

noun

1. a cactus, Schlumbergera bridgesii (or Zygocactus bridgesii ), native to Brazil, having stems with leaflike segments and showy, purplish-red flowers, and often cultivated as a houseplant.

Christmas cactus

noun

1. a Brazilian cactus, Schlumbergera (formerly Zygocactus ) truncatus, widely cultivated as an ornamental for its showy red flowers

Word History and Origins

Origin of Christmas cactus¹

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

For years, my apartment has contained a single Christmas cactus that I'm explicitly not permitted to tend.

From Salon

Unlike the previous examples, Christmas cactus and florist cyclamen are better suited to cool Pacific Northwest conditions.

From Seattle Times

She has cacti, jade, a Christmas cactus, a rubber tree.

From Seattle Times

Christmas cactus ... if you’re wanting complete ease, any cactus plant will work for you.

From Washington Post

But one day, amid complaints, she said: “I get my joy out of my plants, I really do. My Christmas cactus has four or five flowers.”

From New York Times