A couple of EasyBloomers have asked about the Sunrise, or Easter, Cactus. This plant is scientifically known as Hatiora gaertneri. It requires some special treatment to get it to flower. Although the dead flowers can be removed, I would leave the buds. Easter Cacti produce buds in fall, but they need some time and cool temperatures (around 50°F) before they will open. The buds are borne on the new stems of the cactus and can take some time to fully bloom. The buds may stay dormant because they did not receive enough time at cooler temperatures to fully set bloom. If those buds don’t open by mid- to late summer I would suggest removing them and wait for next season. Also, these cacti live on the branches of trees, which means that they are accustomed to partial shade since the leaves of the tree are shading the cacti. They also do best with relatively high humidity. This plant will be found in our database very shortly. Thanks for all the interest. --Robby
