My Christmas Cactus...

..Is now dead.

I tried.  I really did.

Anyone else love plants so much but kill them anyway???

xoxo, Lauren

ps-  I should probably tell the story of how he died after reading some comments.  It wasn't your typical "not watering" slow death...  We'd had him for a couple of months & I barely watered him & he looked pretty good.  A little misshapen but okay.  I then got him ready for a photo shoot at a client's & watered him the night before.   He didn't like that and the next day, he wasn't happy.   Really wilty & all over the place.  He didn't make it in any of the photos.  And then, my husband left him outside overnight & he froze. So that was the end of the Christmas Cactus.

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23 comments:

Unknown said...

Really? We barely even water ours & it just keeps getting bigger! Ours actually started as a cutting from a massive plant that was in the family for 30 years.

3 Peanuts said...

I am shocked. I completely ignore mine and then water it and it had lived 2 years. I finally bloomed just this week. Tis is not the dead photo of yours ? I thought they never died.

I want to see yours. Soak it a bit and it might be okay.

Becki said...

I too am a plant murderer. Maybe we love them to death?

emmarie Designs said...

Haha! I have a black thumb. I get a herb garden every spring, just to see it die before summer. And I've cacti too. Oh, you're not alone.

Daryl at Vermont Cottage said...

I agree with the other comments. Ignoring this plant would serve it well. Did you love it to death?

Bethany [at] Powell Brower Home said...

Hey Lauren - is your fabric line at the NOVA Design Center???

Bethany
http://www.powellbrower.com/2012/02/project-alert-drop-cloth-curtains-done.html

Rachel Anderson said...

so far I've killed a beautiful orchid, as well as a whole terrarium of succulents.
and they're supposed to be the low maintenance plants!

JWK said...

I am the WORST!!! You aren't alone!!

Living It At Home said...

Ohhhh! It is so pretty! I have a Boston Fern in our bedroom that is surviving (I kill plants) because I take it into the bathroom with me when I take a shower!!!!!!! Trying to get creative to keep it going since it likes a humid enviornment. So far so good! Good luck with your plants!

Lacy said...

I would love to have more indoor plants, but they only manage to stay healthy looking for about a week. Then they barely hang on for a few months (sometimes close to a year) before giving up completely. I'm learning to not attempt indoor plants and focus on outdoor plants, which I have a lot of luck with growing.

Anonymous said...

Christmas cactus is the only plant I've managed to keep alive for more than a couple months. I've killed succulents, orchids, lucky bamboo... I did ok with a garden but mostly let nature do her thing. And until I read your PS with the freezing part I was going to say that even wilty he might make it! Not so much after freezing...

Linda@ Lime in the Coconut said...

Ok girl...Hate to tell ya, but they are the easiest plants to keep alive. Bombproof.

You win!

Lane McNab said...

I have been wanting to get a Christmas cactus for a while because I thought you couldn't kill them (like my snake plant which I have come close to killing). At least it won't freeze here in Berkeley--so maybe worth a shot. I do the long slow lingering death to my plants too--so much like torture! Oh the fear that must enter a plant's heart when I bring it inside and it sees the condition of others of its kind...
www.urbanorchardinteriors.com

Kerry Steele- Design du Monde said...

Too funny! My husband won't let me buy any new plants because he says its cruel to the plants. They all commit suicide when they find out that they are at my house--hahaha!

Linda in AZ * said...

*** Dear Lauren~~~ "I" am NORMALLY the "Daughter of Death" for poor lil' (or big!) plants, buuuuuuut, amazzzzingly enough, I rcvd TWO "normal, hostess-gift sized" Christmas plants 3 years ago & HONESTLY, they're not only alive n' well, but actually have been BLOOOOOMING, BIG TIME(!), for over about 3 weeks so far!

*** From THIS "novice" (I CAN actually keep orchids alive for 3 MONTHS at a time now (!), but I THINK they just have the RIGHT, FILTERED SUNLIGHT & you HAVE to watch the watering... very little!!!

Remember, we're in the desert~~~ CHristmas Cactus & Orchids seem to need LIGHT... but N*O*T DIRECT sunlight, & very little water... And they're like lots of PEOPLE~~~~ they like to GET IN ONE PLACE, and then STAY THERE!!! Think the CULPRIT might be MOVING IT???? (Of course, OVERNITE in the freezing cold wouldn't make ME thrive, either!!!)...

And oh!!! Your new FABRICS are SOOOOOO ABSOLUTEY STUNNING!!!!!!!!!! TOTALLY DEEEELISH!!!!!!!!!

Warmest wishes to all,
Linda in AZ *
bellesmom1234@comcast.net

Wendy said...

Mine is on it's last legs too. I am not sure how to revive it or if it even can be. I've had it for years and suddenly it has started to die off. I only have a few stems left.

Rick said...

Lauren, these are pretty hard to kill. I have had one for several years, was a cutting from my best friend's mom after she passed away so we named it Ms. Jackie. It took fews years to bloom but now it blooms every December. They dont like much water and they dont like change, just in case you decide to try again. Fussy little guys but so exciting when they present you with what I call "babies". Good luck next time.

Sarah said...

Don't give up on him Lauren, I gave my parents one years ago and the darn thing still blooms at Christmas - I probably gave it to them in the late 1980's...talk to a florist and find out if there is anything you can do with regards to food or water. I put my other two plants in the tub and ran warm shower water on them for about 15 mins. and they came back to life. Definitely talk to someone!!;-))

Amy said...

So, technically speaking, you didn't really kill the cactus, your husband did! :)

Anonymous said...

Christmas related pictures are look so beautiful and wonderful pictures.I really enjoy this blog.

scooter

Erin Goodchild said...

I received my Christmas cactus from a plant that was originally my grandmothers. She LOVED it so much and the week in April that she passed away, it started blooming, and has done so every year since.

Every other plant I bring into my house though I seem to kill. It is my goal in life to grow a green thumb =)

Ann E. said...

My grandma was able to keep her Christmas cactus thriving...when she passed, my mom took over caring for it. It did horrible, until my parents started spending 6 months in Florida - never watering it at their home in Minnesota, now it is doing amazing! So I guess the moral of the story is to ignore it, AND go on a 6 month vacation!! :)

Anonymous said...

Oh man, I JUST killed one of these! I feel like a jerk, my boyfriend's parents gave it to us. I keep thinking it will come back...."maybe it's sleeping?" and everyone that walks into our house is like "Your plant...is dead." Sigh.