Dakota Gardener: Don't treat a Christmas cactus like a cactus

A friend called me because she purchased a new Christmas cactus, and it wasn’t behaving the way she expected. Based on its cactus classification, she watered sparingly and placed the plant in direct sunlight. Despite this logical care regimen, the plant began to lose its flower buds and vigor. I had to inform my friend that the Christmas cactus is a plant with a confusing or even downright de...