If you want to add a little color to your house or garden, the Easter cactus is a great option, especially around the Easter holiday when this tropical cactus is noted for its stunning and profusion of star-shaped blooms. Flowers of this native to the Brazilian jungles range from white to scarlet to purple. The Easter cactus is well known for having a long lifespan and being simple to grow, making it a popular choice for both novice and seasoned houseplant enthusiasts.
What distinguishes a Christmas cactus from an Easter cactus?
The holiday season has here, which not only calls for decorations but also festive plants! At this time of year, there are many lovely holiday plants to pick from, whether they are bought from a florist, nursery, or are grown at home. The Christmas cactus is one of the most popular plants to give or receive at this time of year. Or is it a Thanksgiving or Easter cactus?
The three cacti differ from one another in terms of how their leaves are shaped. The edges of the leaves of the Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumgera truncata) are very sharply pointed and shaped like claws. The leaf projections of the Christmas cactus (Schlumgera bridgesti) are more scalloped or teardrop shaped. The edges of the leaves of the Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaertnerrii) are extremely rounded and centered.
These three cacti are all classified as short-day plants. Therefore, the plant needs low temperatures and 12–24 hours of darkness in order to bloom. If you overwintered your plant outside or bought it from a florist or nursery, you should keep it in a cold, dark place until the buds appear. The optimum location is an infrequently used bedroom or lower level. The Easter cactus gets its name from the fact that it takes 8–12 weeks of short days to bloom as opposed to the Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti’s roughly six weeks. It can be brought into a warmer environment once the buds start to form for your enjoyment. At this stage, a plant may occasionally start to lose its buds. That might be caused by air currents, warm temperatures, an abundance of water, or direct sunlight. Bright light is good for the plants, but not direct sunlight. Before watering, the soil should be completely dry to one inch below the surface. Fertilizing or repotting shouldn’t be done when the plant is in bloom. The plants appear to thrive when they are root-bound.
You might see the Christmas and Thanksgiving cactus bloom once more in the spring, though perhaps not as lavishly as over the holiday season. Simply restore the plant to its short day settings to promote springtime blooming.
Unless they are overwatered, these plants are generally disease-free. If the plant turns crimson, there is either too much sun, not enough phosphorus, or not enough water. There are rumors of plants that have been passed down from generation to generation for more than a century. Take advantage of these easygoing holiday plants and establish a new gardening custom. Call the Linn County Master Gardener Hortline at 319-447-0647 with any and all of your gardening inquiries.
How is an Easter cactus maintained?
You might be startled to learn that there is an Easter cactus that blooms in the spring after spending years encouraging a Christmas cactus to do so on time. I know I was when I stumbled upon a tiny potted plant in a nearby nursery that had adorable, tiny flower buds.
The Easter cactus, also known as Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri by knowledgeable horticulturists, is distinct from its relatives the Christmas cactus and the Thanksgiving cactus mostly due to the season in which it blooms and the nature of its leaves. They can be picky, demanding, and resistant when it comes to flowering on command until their expectations are met, yet these various plants also share a lot in common.
Care and Feeding: To get the Easter cactus to bloom on schedule, place it in an area where daily and nighttime temperatures vary by as much as 20 degrees. It will grow in bright, indirect light (sun or shade). Give it a balanced fertilizer twice a month and water it when the soil seems dry to the touch.
Design Advice: Match a white Easter cactus with a creamy-colored planter that matches its flower buds in hue. My-shaped Ben Wolff White Clay Pot with Saucer costs $62.50.
Easter cactus won’t bloom again until the following spring when its current flowering period is over. If it’s root-bound, you can repot it in the interim, and you can prune it anyway you like.
Our curated list of Houseplants 101 has further suggestions for indoor gardening. Don’t miss:
Where should my Easter cactus be placed?
Put your Easter cactus somewhere that gets plenty of bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight since the fleshy leaves can burn easily. Pick a space with a lot of natural light coming through.
Easter cactus grows outdoors or indoors.
Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri), a bushy plant with lavender-pink or red blooms at the end of each flat, segmented leaf, produces a profusion of flowers every spring. Even though Easter cactus is a real cactus, it grows in the forest and needs more attention than its desert-dwelling relatives. According to Clemson University, this, along with the other holiday cacti known as Christmas cactus and Thanksgiving cactus, prefers humid circumstances and is called “rain forest cacti” for this reason.
Easter cacti often thrive for many years and mature at a height of around 24 inches. They require little maintenance. Although Easter cacti are often planted indoors, they may survive outside in USDA plant hardiness zones 10b through 11.
Unless they are overwatered, Easter cactus infections are uncommon, according to Iowa State University. If a plant starts to turn reddish, it may be an indication that it has received too much light, not enough water, or lacks phosphorus.
How can you distinguish between an Easter cactus, a Christmas cactus, and a Thanksgiving cactus?
The leaves of the Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) have sharp protrusions that resemble crab claws. The leaves of the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesti) have rounded or teardrop-shaped projections. The leaves of the Easter cactus (Schlumbergera gaertnerrii) have rounded edges.
Do succulents include Easter cacti?
The Easter Cactus, also known as the Spring Cactus, blooms in a variety of bright colors from March till May. Their several-week-long, star-shaped flowers open at dawn and close at dusk. In the forests of eastern Brazil, Easter Cacti are native epiphytes that grow in the branches of the trees. Knowing a plant’s natural environment is beneficial since it gives the gardener advice on how to grow the plant successfully.
Natural Adjustment Due to their propensity to epiphytic life, Easter Cacti make wonderful indoor plants. Their capacity to develop in trees in their natural habitat is strongly tied to their capacity to thrive in partial sunlight and dry conditions. Sometimes it’s even a good thing to ignore your Easter cactus.
Particular Qualities Easter Cactus has segments of flat, succulent leaves. They freely branch, becoming a full specimen of a plant with glossy, leathery leaves.
Methods for Blooming Dry soil and chilly temperatures in the early winter trigger floral bud set, which occurs in the spring (around Easter). To prevent the plant from shriveling up as fall approaches, often in October, soil moisture should be decreased with only infrequent watering.
Additionally, a chilly phase is required, with nighttime lows in the high 50s to just above freezing for a few months. Later in the fall, you may either keep the plants indoors next to your coolest window or leave them outside (just make sure it’s still above freezing). To encourage floral bud set, it is necessary to drop nighttime temperatures below 60F for a few months.
Watering The dry season must last until the buds are evident because bud production often begins after the first of the year. The plants switch into their growth cycle once flowering is over and the days start to become longer and warmer. At this point, fertilizer can be added and watering is increased. Bring the soil to almost complete dryness between waterings, as you would with most succulents, and then thoroughly moisten the potting soil.
Fertilizer When you water, you can add fertilizer in a soluble form using a balanced formulation, such as 5-7-3 or 10-10-10. Or, you might use an organic granular fertilizer as a topdressing to plants. They are moderate feeders, but when fed often during the summer, they will respond with plentiful growth.
When to Repot Once flowering is ended, plants can be replanted. Use a potting mix that is well-drained and has good air porosity, much like you would for any succulent or cactus.
Pruning After flowering, prune. Trim back the outer leaflets symmetrically over the plant once it has grown to the appropriate size and filled out the largest pot. This will minimize the plant’s overall size and volume.
Insects Easter Cactus typically don’t have any issues with insects. Mealybug and scale can harm plants, but they are not the preferred food source, and it usually takes an infected plant nearby to cause a problem.
Problem solving A damp, heavy potting mix is the main cause of stem and root rot in Easter Cactus culture. The majority of soilless or peat lite mixtures work well, and if the mixture looks a little heavy, you can add more perlite. For usage with cacti and succulents, there are specialized cactus soils available. Growing your Easter Cactus in a clay pot will improve soil aeration and hasten the potting mix’s drying out process. Typically, this stops stem and root rot.
Easter Cactus Collection from Logee Check out our unique Easter Cactus Collection if you want to bring some springtime color into your house. These cacti bloom profusely with vibrant flowers from March through May:
To find out more about the Spring/Easter Cactus plants described in this article, click on the links below:
How often does the Easter cactus bloom?
Prior to their spring flowering season, your Easter cactus needs eight weeks of equal quantities of darkness and light. Aim for colder, drier weather at night, ideally about 50 degrees. Despite the fact that these plants enjoy warmth, keep your potted cactus away from any sources of direct heat. However, the flowering time starts earlier the warmer your home is. It’s possible to even get flowers twice a year, just like other seasonal cactus!
Additionally, the Easter cactus is thought to be safe to curious dogs, which makes it the perfect indoor plant for the entire year.
Light
Without direct sunshine, strong natural light is ideal for them. The thick leaves of a spring cactus will burn in the hot sun. For reference, mine is growing on a buffet in my dining room, which has three sizable east-facing windows. It is positioned about 10 feet from the windows, where it receives lots of light (Tucson is famed for its abundant sunshine!).
They prefer bright shade while growing outside. As you can see from the video, my covered side patio’s northern exposure offers the best exposure.
Water
These are epiphytic cacti, which are different from the desert cacti that Tucson is covered in. They grow on other plants and rocks rather than soil in their native rainforest settings. The roots must be able to breathe.
Give yours a big swig of water and let the entire contents of the saucepan completely drain. Before you water the plant again, make sure it is completely dry. The roots should not be kept wet all the time because they will eventually rot.
In between waterings, let the soil to dry out. It depends on a variety of things how frequently you water it. You should find this guide to watering indoor plants helpful.
Water your Easter Cactus more frequently when it is blooming. At this point, you don’t want it to become fully dry.
Temperature
They can withstand a variety of temperatures. Your Easter Cactus will feel comfortable in your home if you do. Just be aware that the blooming season will occur more quickly the warmer your home is. Keep children away from heaters and, in the opposite direction, from drafty areas.
The evening temperature must be chilly for blooms to set. It is best between 45 and 55 degrees F.
Humidity
Although this epiphytic cactus favors humidity, it can survive in our homes despite their tendency to be dryer.
I’ll put mine on a saucer with stones and water if it starts to appear less “plump & a bit on the dry side.” To prevent any rotting, make sure to keep the pot’s bottom out of the liquid.
Soil
In their natural habitats, spring cacti grow on other plants, rocks, and bark. In soil, they do not grow. They eat leaves and other trash in the natural world. This indicates that they like a fairly porous mixture with considerable richness.
I usually mix in compost and coco coir with a fairly chunky local succulent and cactus mix. This peat moss substitute is better for the environment since it has a pH that is neutral, can hold more nutrients, and enhances aeration.
Fertilizing
None of my spring cactus have ever received fertilizer. Every spring, I always supplement with worm compost and organic compost. They’ve always had no trouble blooming. I’ll modify mine again in the summer here in the desert when it’s much hotter and dryer.
Every spring, I lightly apply worm compost to the majority of my indoor plants before covering it with a thin layer of compost. Easy, right? For a larger houseplant, use a 1/4 to 1/2 layer of each. Right here, you can read about how I feed my composting worms.
You can use a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer (such 10-10-10) in the spring, early summer, and mid-summer even if yours might not require it.
My friend gave his Christmas and Easter cacti (20-10-20) all-around orchid fertilizer in the spring and again in the summer, and they both looked fantastic. It needs to be diluted to 1/4 strength. Water your plants with 1/4 of the fertilizer’s suggested dosage. If necessary, I might try using my collection of orchids, which I have quite a number of.
Wait to fertilize your Spring Cactus until it has completed blooming entirely, which should take 1-2 months. Before hitting it with the good stuff, you want it to relax!
Here, you can see the leaf from my Thanksgiving Cactus (which, by the way, is frequently advertised as a Christmas Cactus) on the left and the leaf from my Easter Cactus on the right. The Easter Cactus leaf is noticeably smoother, as can be seen.
Propagating
Speaking of propagation, leaf cuttings or division are both fairly simple methods.
By chopping the terminal leaf parts off, you can take individual leaf cuttings. It is simple for me to twist them off. I select a few pieces, which I consider to be a stem. After that, I let the leaves or complete stems recover for about a week. They are then planted in a straight succulent and cactus mix with about half of the leaf’s end sticking out, and after a couple of weeks, they begin to take root. I repotted them after one month has passed.
Pests / Problems
Mealybugs, spider mites, and possibly scale are common although mine have never experienced any of these.
Another issue is the fungal disease known as root rot. By not overwatering and/or utilizing a soil mixture that is properly aerated and free drainage, you can prevent this.
Flowering
Yes, this plant’s blossoms are quite attractive. Compared to the Christmas and Thanksgiving Cacti, whose flowers I think somewhat resemble Shrimp Plant flowers, these are more star-shaped. They come in vivacious violet, peach, red, orange, and that calmer Easter color, white.
These plants are timed by the farmers to bloom around Easter. Although they can bloom long into or throughout May, they are primarily sold in March and April. The flowers will open more quickly and their overall blooming period will be shorter the warmer your home is.
Similar to what you do to get the Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti to bloom once again, you may get them to flower once more. Make sure your spring cactus receives an equal amount of sunshine and absolute darkness each day six to eight weeks before you want it to bloom.
At this time, keep them dry to force them into dormancy. Depending on the temperature, the mix they are in, and the size and type of pot they are planted in, they may need watering every three to six weeks.
Keep the temperature between 50 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. At night, 50 to 55 degrees is ideal. Your need for more darkness will increase if your temperatures are warmer.
The Easter Cactus blooms may be seen in the two lower pictures. The Thanksgiving Cactus flower in the top photo is much different from these flowers.
Good To Know
When Easter Cactus is minimally pot-bound, it thrives. Every two to five years, I repot my.
Yippee! These plants are said to be safe for both cats and dogs. If your pet consumes the leaves or stems, they may irritate their stomach.
I urge you to use an Easter Cactus to commemorate Spring, the season of fresh beginnings and vivid hues. Those lovely flowers will certainly make your house cheerier!