The Christmas Cactus

When I got married in 1978 and moved from Atlanta to a house in Brookfield, my mom gave me a cutting from one of her Christmas Cactuses (cacti, I know). She always had beautiful plants that always bloomed and they were large and overflowing from their pots. I think these were plants that had belonged to her mother or at least grown from cuttings. I'm terrible at growing real plants, but Mom assured me this would be a cinch - I'd have no problems.

So, she gave me a cutting. I placed it in a bottle so that it would root and it did. Little shoots started appearing. Later I transferred it to a glass container with a little potting soil and it continued to grow! However it would never, ever bloom. Could it be because the poor plant almost died at times for lack of water and neglect?

When Corey and Nikki got married, I decided to start a rooting for them just like my mom had done for me. Then they moved and the cutting never went with them and I felt sad that I hadn't been able to share this gift from my mom. The Christmas Cactus has been growing and flourishing since I placed it in my bathroom several months ago where it was easy to remember to water it. While in there today, I noticed it and thought about the story behind the plant.

I realize this plant isn't a big deal to probably anyone else, but to me it binds me in a small way to my mom...the mom who loved her plants, just like her mother did. This was the mom who had a green thumb and could make any plant grow. Sadly, Mom hasn't been had the interest or desire or understanding to care for plants anymore and I think most of them have been given away.

So, when I think of that plant, I think of my mom. Maybe one day I'll get lucky and have a blooming Christmas Cactus just like Mom did.