The group of holiday cacti were discovered by Allen Cunningham in the early 1800s, and by the 1900s, there were several hybrids. These were adopted into the Christian holiday traditions due to their blooming times, which coincided with Thanksgiving and Christmas. Investigating the history of Christmas cactus reveals a bit of a tangle. Many botanists insist that Schlumbergera x buckleyi is the original, true Christmas cactus. This hybrid has all but disappeared and is a treasure among collectors. The holiday cacti available today is actually quite different from S. buckleyi, with a different shape and different color tones. Furthermore, there are a number of heartwarming tales around the origin of the Christmas cactus. Some say this plant comes from Brazil, the cactus’ native land. Apparently, a young boy prayed to God, asking for a sign of Christmas as a reprieve from the heat and humidity of the jungle. On Christmas Day, he saw that the jungle had filled with the flowering cacti overnight. Another version claims that a Jesuit missionary, trying to teach the jungle natives of Bolivia about the Bible started praying to God for guidance. Suddenly, the village children started marching into the church with armfuls of bright flowers.