Celebrate spring with a vibrant spring-blooming Easter cactus. New hybrids, called the Sunrise series, are now available in 4-inch pots at supermarkets and garden centers. Plants carry dainty, 1 1/2- to 2-inch-wide blossoms in shades of fuchsia, lilac, pink, and red. The flowers, which open at sunrise and close at night, are borne at the tips of segmented stems with scalloped edges.

Grow Sunrise cactus indoors (full sun outside can burn the succulent leaves). Plants prefer bright light, such as next to a window. To encourage bloom next year, place the plant in a cool (40°-55°) outdoor location with moderate light in October or November; leave it for 8 to 10 weeks or longer. Bring it indoors two months before desired bloom time.