Zygocactus Millennium Fantasy in flower

Zygocactus Millennium Fantasy flower cluster. These flowers are part of a much larger hanging basket nearly 1m across.

This plant was released in 2000 in Australia hence the name, Millennium Fantasy. Do you remember when computers and all things digital were supposed to stop? Well it didn't stop plants from flowering. 

Millennium Fantasy is a semi upright growing zygocactus variety which makes a great hanging basket or pot display. When grown as a pot you can bring the plant in flower inside to enjoy the blooms for a while. Afterwards when not in flower the foliage makes an ideal indoor plant when grown in medium light levels in your home.

Did you know Zygocactus originate out of rain forests on the east coast of Brazil where they are known locally as May Flower because you guessed it they flower in May?

But did you also know Zygocactus are often referred to as Holiday cactus in the USA because they flower around their holiday period or Thanksgiving Cactus because they grow around Thanksgiving?

But it gets even better than this. They are also known as Christmas Cactus because they flower around you guessed it, Christmas. The reference to Christmas Cactus is a little contentious to purists because there are some forms of later flowering Zygocactus varieties that have a slightly more rounded scalloped leaf edge and symmetrical flower shape rather than zygomorphic.

So what's in a name? In Australia they are known simply as Zygos or Zygocactus  because they do not flower at Holiday periods, Thanksgiving or Christmas. So enjoy your Zygos.

If you would like more information about growing these beautiful flowering plants then check out my new eBook on Growing Zygocactus packed full of 244 photographs over 54 pages.