There’s nothing more wonderful than a surprise—especially when it involves flowers. And that’s exactly what a Christmas cactus does best. After your summer garden is just a past memory, your green-leafed Christmas cactus surprisingly bursts into bloom—just when you need flowers the most. Like a relative at the front door with an armload of gifts. This plant produces beautiful segmented flowers in red, pink, yellow, and white all throughout the holidays. It’s a gift that starts giving around Thanksgiving and lasts through Christmas.

Christmas cacti is a member of the genus Schlumbergera, and like other plant families, there are a range of relatives.

Schlumbergera truncata is sold as “Christmas cacti,” but it is actually known as Thanksgiving cacti in some circles because it blooms a little earlier than Christmas cacti.

The true Christmas cacti is Schlumbergera x buckleyi. The way to tell the difference between these two holiday cousins, in addition to their bloom time, is by their leaf shape. Thanksgiving cacti produce leaves with points or teeth on the edges. Christmas cacti have leaves that are more smooth edged. Both are beautiful. And both bloom like crazy for the winter holidays.

Some people also call this plant “crab cacti,” and if you look at the segmented legs of a crab, you can see why. “Chain cacti” and “link cacti” are also common names around the globe for the same reason.

If you are looking for a little flower power for your winter holidays, try Christmas cacti. You can keep them for years and they’ll show up at the holidays with gorgeous blooms like clockwork: The holiday guest you will always be happy to see!

Learn how to care for these beauties here.