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Definition of christmas cactus

christmas cactus

Plural:Christmas cacti
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• noun

1

A popular, winter-flowering houseplant (from the genus Schlumbergera) native to the coastal mountains of southeastern Brazil, characterized by flattened, leafless stem segments and bright tubular flowers that typically bloom around the December holiday season.

Example

"Every December, my grandmother's Christmas cactus bursts into vibrant pink blooms, brightening the living room."

Word Nuance & Usage

Often confused with the closely related Thanksgiving cactus and Easter cactus, which are distinguished by different blooming times and subtle variations in the shape of their stem segment edges.

• Nearby Words

choy sum
christchurch
christianomastix
christmas cactus
christophine
chromis
chronometer

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Christmas cactus. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 18, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/christmas%20cactus
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