Buying an Orange Christmas Cactus

Potted Plants

• Christmas cactuses are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 through 12. They are native to Brazil and cannot tolerate cold temperatures. For this reason, they are sold as houseplants and are popular gifts during the holidays. Because they are grown in containers, it's important to take a good look at the container when you buy one. The container should have holes in the base to provide good drainage and a tray to catch the water when it drains. If it does not, you'll have to set it on a saucer. If there is festive holiday decorative paper over the container blocking the drainage holes, remove it as soon as you get the plant home.

Potting Soil

• Now that you've checked the pot, take a look at the potting soil. In the wild, these plants attach themselves to trees and draw nutrients from the humid air and rainwater. Obviously, the Christmas cactuses sold in stores don't come with trees, but they should not come with heavy potting soil either. Rich but porous soils are best, such as a planting medium composed of equal parts shredded bark or peat moss and sand. If your plant has been planted in heavy sediment, consider removing it from the pot, gently shaking the sediment from the roots and replanting it in a coarse, well-drained planting mix.

Flower Buds

• Check the buds before you buy an orange -- or any other color -- Christmas cactus. These are short-day plants -- they need long periods of cool temperatures and dark conditions to set buds. Commercial growers place them in cool greenhouses for several weeks before bringing them out in the warm light to bloom. Christmas cactuses sold in stores are often in full bloom, and although this makes for a nice display, it isn't ideal for your home. This is because the blooms drop easily. In fact, a large percentage of them may drop from the plant when you move it from the store to your home. Instead, choose a Christmas cactus that still has tightly closed buds. This way, you can encourage them to open when the plant is settled and enjoy the display during the holidays.

Check the Name

• It's best to choose a plant with tightly-closed buds -- but when the flowers are closed, it's hard to tell what color it is. If one of the buds has dropped, you can force it open to look at the shade. Don't just start plucking them from the plant, however. Otherwise, look at the cultivar name. Some may have the word "orange" or "peach" in their names, such as "Peach Parfait" (Schlumbergera "Peach Parfait"). If not, try to find an orange one in bloom, look at its name and then find the same cultivar with closed blooms. If you can't find one in bloom, look for a specific name. Schlumbergera cultivars that have orange flowers include "Malindi" -- which starts out as purple buds opening to orange flowers -- and "Thor Alice." Those that have peach flowers include "XMas Fantasy" and "Madslome."

In-Store Conditions

• It's sometimes difficult to tell exactly how long a specific Christmas cactus plant has been sitting in the store. Unfortunately, if its location isn't optimum for growth and the plant has been there for a long time, it might be damaged. Avoid plants that are displayed in direct sunlight, such as one that is sitting in a bright window, and plants that are located near hot or cold drafts, such as plants displayed on a shelf near the store entrance. Christmas cactuses grow best in indirect light and humid air, so any plant in the store that is surrounded by these conditions is likely to be the healthiest one.