Crackers for Christmas cactus?

Is anyone a grower of cactuses – or should I say cacti? If so, do you have any of the variety that only flower once a year… usually around Christmas time? I’ve been doing a survey of cactuses cacti because they’re such curious plants. I spotted this giant flowering cactus in Sausalito - it must have been at least 10 feet tall.

And below are some scarily spiky cactus leaves seen in Laguna.  I rather like the idea of carving out a message for posterity… but I wouldn’t want to harm the long term health of the natural vegetation (or myself) in the process.

Closer to home, I saw this seriously strange looking specimen at the Chelsea Physic Garden.

Oh, and we’ve got some curiously exotic one-of-a-kind vintage style cactus brooches at ShopCurious. They’re made from upcycled stones, shells and glass - arranged into colourful mosaics by artist-designer Annie Sherburne.

Never mind Christmas, you can give unusual gifts at any time of the year.  And if you’re totally cactus crazy, the British Cactus and Succulent Society produces a quarterly magazine called Cactus World… 

Are you?