Which one do you have?

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 Christmas cactus are really popular chances are someone you know owns one. In recent years they have been harder to find. Merchants have been selling Thanksgiving cactus as Christmas cactus. Thanksgiving cactus bloom in late November and into December. Consumers who don't know the difference between Christmas and Thanksgiving cactus don't realize they aren't getting a true Christmas cactus. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter cactus are not true cactus they are epiphyte. Meaning they live on other plants. They are so often misidentified, because they do look similar and they are so often mislabeled by sellers. They are mislabeled more than any other succulent or cacti. The first noticeable difference is their leaves.

 Thanksgiving cactus has pointed leaves claw shaped leaves. Christmas cactus leaves are more scalloped and tear drop looking. Easter cactus has very rounded edges.  If you are trying to figure out which one you have run your fingers across the edge of the leaf segments. Do you feel a point or claw? That is a Thanksgiving cactus. If you do not feel a point or claw or anything on the tip and the leaf feels smooth its a Christmas cactus. If you do not feel points or claws, but feel small soft bristles on the tip of the leaf then it is and Easter cactus. 

Another difference is the shape of the flower Thanksgiving cactus and Christmas cactus both have a tubular shaped flower, but Easter cactus flower looks more like a star burst. 

 Each of the holiday cactus are named after the time of year they bloom. If you have a what you believe is a Christmas cactus, but it tends to bloom more towards the end of November you probably have a Thanksgiving cactus.

Christmas cactus blooms are pink, white, orange, and red. Sometime a Christmas cactus will have a mixture of colors all in the same plant.

Thanksgiving cactus have more bloom colors including red, lavender, peach, orange, yellow, and white.

Easter cactus bloom colors can be pink, white, peach, orange, or lavender. My Easter cactus has both pink and white blooms on it. 

Out of the three holiday cactus the Easter cactus tends to be harder to grow. It is more sensitive to over or under watering.