I am working on completing the information on the plants on my list. The schlumbergera truncata are all the same except the color, is there is quicker way to transfer that information to all of them without doing each one individually one line at a time? Would copy and past the entire section work?

I posted this on the Site Forum yesterday and no one replied so I am trying here.

Which field is it that you're wanting to copy?

All of them but the color. They are all the same type plants but different colors. Just like the African Violet is. All most all of them are grown and look the same...????

But aren't the different colors different cultivars? Don't they have names that should be in the database as individual plants? Forgive me, but I don't know that much about those plants.

Yes, they are different cultivars but the other info is the same. They all grow in the same light ,take the same water, they are in the list but I need to go to each one and fill out the same info for each one and it takes so much time. There has to be a way to do it easier than I am. Do you know what I am talking about Woofie? The plants are in the database and in the list. The information regarding their color height etc. is what I need to fill in. It must be done one at a time and that is so time consuming. I thought since some of the other plants that have so many different cultivars have been completed and come up when you enter them, that maybe there was an easier way. Just curious and hoping to save some time.

Are you talking about adding the information to your List or to the entries in the database? If the database, I think Dave can do that for you.

My own list, NOT the database. If it was in the database I would not have to add it to my list. I just assumed it was in the database but when it did not come up on any of the strums I put in I began to wonder if it was up to us to put it in. When they were approved, again, I assumed they had all the info. I can add it to the database if they do not have it, but I just do not have time to do it to all of them. My main concern was getting my list completed and that is what I was working on. Sorry I was not being clear. I am trying to do too many things at one time here.

You could ask @dave if he can add the same data details to all the Schlumbergera truncata entries in the database, minus the color. Sounds like if he could do that, you wouldn't have to worry about adding it in your own list?

We can do that, yes. This is a functionality that is present in our parent plant feature.

We can make either Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) be the parent plant for just plants in that species, or do it genus wide at Schlumbergeras (Schlumbergera)

I'd like at least one of the plant admins to agree to which one we use for the parent plant. Once we decide that, all we need to decide then is exactly which databox details are common to all plants that match and we'll go from there. @eclayne is generally our parent plant person.

Wonderful, thank you so much. That will save me hours. I don't care which you use. the strums all take the same care. Which is not really that much. Over watering is the main problem most people have with them and too much sun. Otherwise, they are easy and bloom from November until ?????? some of mine are still blooming in my house. That is why they call some truncata, Thanksgiving/Holiday Cactus...some can bloom from Halloween to Mother's Day if they are cared for properly and given the correct amount of light.

Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) The current data entries are listed below. I've crossed out those that aren't applicable to all Schlumbergera truncata. Will do a bit more homework @JB. What do you think?

Plant Habit: Cactus/Succulent
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Partial or Dappled Shade
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 10a -1.1 °C (30 °F) to +1.7 °C (35 °F)
Leaves: Evergreen
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: Other: Yellow anthers
Flower Time: Fall I guess this applies to all, as S. truncata is the Thanksgiving Cactus.
Uses: Suitable as a houseplant
Propagation: Other methods: Other: Mature single segment cuttings. This will have to be filled in individually.
Containers: Suitable in 1 gallon
Needs excellent drainage in pots
Prefers to be under-potted
Miscellaneous: Epiphytic
Conservation status: Vulnerable (VU)

This is done for Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera truncata).

"Holiday" Cactus includes three species in two genera, although all Schlumbergera appear to be called one or another of the Holiday Cactus Common names.
Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera truncata)
Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi)
Easter Cactus (Hatiora gaertneri)

I think a Parent Plant called Holiday Cactus which includes all plants in genus Schlumbergera makes sense. Common datapoints would be:

Plant Habit: Cactus/Succulent
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Partial or Dappled Shade
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 10a -1.1 °C (30 °F) to +1.7 °C (35 °F)
Leaves: Evergreen
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: Other: Yellow anthers
Flower Time: Fall
Uses: Suitable as a houseplant
Propagation: Other methods: Other: Mature single segment cuttings. This will have to be filled in individually.
Containers: Suitable in 1 gallon
Needs excellent drainage in pots
Prefers to be under-potted
Miscellaneous: Epiphytic
Conservation status: Vulnerable (VU)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________
(without strike through)

Plant Habit: Cactus/Succulent
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Partial or Dappled Shade
Flowers: Showy
Uses: Suitable as a houseplant
Containers: Suitable in 1 gallon
Needs excellent drainage in pots
Prefers to be under-potted
Miscellaneous: Epiphytic

Evan, I think you have done a good job with the basic information. The rest of the information can be put into the places by the owners if they so desire for their own lists. At least this way there is some information for those who are looking for it.

There are lots of people who do not really care of they have a truncata or buckelyi and they can not tell the difference but for those that do and can, this is a great improvement. Thank you for your time. I hope it makes things a bit more simple for the beginner growers. It certainly will save me time with my own List.

Thanks Jacquie. What do you think about the name, "The Holiday Cactus Database". An alternative would be "The Schlumbergera Database".

I personally would think the schlumbergera database would be good, BUT, then the Easter cactus would have to be on its own. To keep it simple I think the Holiday Cactus Database would be better if you explained that it included the Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter...somehow. Nothing is easy is it? What do you think?

eclayne said:This is done for Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera truncata).


Leaves: Evergreen

Do Schlumbergeras have leaves? I don't know anything about them, but the flattened green segments appear to be stems masquerading as leaves.

They have stems and segments, not leaves. You start them from cuttings of stems with 2 or 3 segments of the stems. The segments with the points on them are how you tell the hybrids from the buckleyis. Buckleyi's have smooth sides. When you have a second, if you have not already seen this picture of the difference of the segments, take a look at this link:

http://cactus-epiphytes.eu/z_p...

When I first started propagating them, I found it and I have shared it many times. It is elementary but helpful for a quick reference. It also says when they bloom. Seldom do you have any S.russelliana (true)
anymore but I like the little picture of the difference. S. Truncata has taken over with its hybrids. The buckleyi has the smooth and is next in what people are buying. I have found many of the cactus for sale are not what they really are. It is very confusing. I have a friend who works at the Botanical Gardens in Atlanta and is a collector of all the different species (some he has are very rare) and I send him pictures to be sure. He also sends me some of my unusual ones when he finds a segment broken off he can identify. They are a very interesting plant for a houseplant hobby. Sorry I am rambling. See what happens when you ask me a simple question? I am here if you need me. Our weather is too windy to be outside.

KentPfeiffer said:Do Schlumbergeras have leaves? I don't know anything about them, but the flattened green segments appear to be stems masquerading as leaves.

They are stem segments, Thanks. I'll delete that datapoint. This is Done.

You are the best. ( from the old lady.)

I think that none of the fields you are making "common to all" are strings. I think that's good.

If I understand correctly, some Parent Plant fields like "Other" will over-write any existing "Other" text. But it is only 50-50 that I understand that correctly!

In the Lettuces database, Dave applied some text to the Parent lettuce entry, I think the field was "Propagation, Other Info". That replaced any pre-existing text in child plants' "Propagation, Other Info" fields.

But after Dave pushed the button, I was able to go back in and more text to that smae "Propagation, Other Info" field.

If I'm right that it works that way, but I'm [/u]wrong[/u] about none of the Parent Plant fields you are contemplating entering being this kind of text field, you might want to scan the existing Holiday Cactus records to see if there is already some interesting text in some of those fields to be saved and re-entered later.