Thanks to its green leaves and brilliant blossoms, Christmas Cacti, also known as Thanksgiving Cacti and Schlumbergera, brighten up many gardens. These cacti, however, are subject to variations in light, water, and soil, which can cause their leaves to change color.
They can also change color to pink or brown. Transplanting the cactus, moving it to a better-lit location, and properly hydrating it are all options.
While these diseases may not appear to be life-threatening at first, addressing them as soon as possible might ensure your plant’s health for many years to come. Check out everything you need to know in the video below!
Why is my Christmas cactus changing color?
Christmas cactus are widely available during the holiday season, but did you know they also make excellent houseplants? They are really easy to cultivate both indoors and outdoors for me, and mine always flower once or twice a year.
They’re fantastic, but, like other plants, they can have faults and problems. The leaves of my client’s Christmas Cactus had turned orange, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to write this piece.
Let’s get a little more technical for those of you who, like myself, are plant nerds. The Thanksgiving (or Crab) Cactus that you see here and in the video is actually a Christmas Cactus. When I bought it, it was labeled as a CC, and that’s how it’s usually sold in the trade.
Nowadays, they’re commonly referred as as Holiday Cactus. This can happen to any of them, regardless of which one you have.
Plants change hue as a result of environmental or cultural stress. This one turned a deep orange/brown/bronze color (the color is subjective!) Mostly due to a scarcity of water. It has received a little too much sun at times. If you look closely at the leaves, you’ll notice that they’re thin and wrinkled, which indicates that they’re dehydrated.
At least 6 years ago, I purchased this Holiday Cactus at the Santa Barbara Farmer’s Market. I constructed it as part of a Christmas dish garden for my client’s front porch table. She lives on the coast about a quarter mile from the Pacific, about a half-hour south of San Francisco. The other plants have long since been composted, but this one has managed to survive. Oh, and did I mention that Christmas Cacti are difficult to grow? This is proof of that!
These succulents are epiphytic cacti, which are different from the desert cacti that I’m used to seeing in Tucson. Christmas Cacti grow on other plants and rocks in their natural rainforest habitat, not in the soil. They are protected from the sun by the canopies of trees and plants, and they thrive when kept out of direct sunlight.
Changing Color
Because they prefer shade from direct sunlight, Christmas Cactus can become orange, brown, or bronze if exposed to too much of it. Yellow leaves might also indicate that there is too much sun or water in the environment. My Thanksgiving Cactus thrived outside in Santa Barbara and, in response to the reduced temperatures, turned burgundy/purple in the winter.
The unfortunate Thanksgiving Cactus was lying on its side on the other end of the front porch when I initially arrived at my client’s residence in early December. Because she lives near the Pacific, the fog provides some moisture. That, I believe, is what has kept it alive!
I gave it plenty of water by soaking the root ball in a bowl grow pot with everything. I transplanted it into a slightly larger pot (the only one I could find in the garage that was near enough), which was made of a lot heavier ceramic than the thin plastic pot it was in. She had a variety of orchid planting mixtures, so I used a 1:1 ratio of the ones shown above.
FYI: My Thanksgiving Cactus is in desperate need of transplantation. Last year, it bloomed a second time in late February/early March, and I’m curious if that will happen again this year. Plus, I’m going to wait till the evening temperatures warm up and Spring arrives. Keep an eye out for that one I use a unique planting mix that these popular plants adore.
My client’s plant is now under the patio table, where it will get some light but not full sun. This, together with the larger pot, should keep it from blowing around as much as it had been. I’ve informed someone about the need to water it, so perhaps it will be done. Anything will be beneficial!
Is the plant going to turn green? I’m confident it will. This is the first time I’ve ever seen a Christmas Cactus turn this bright orange color all over. My Aloe vera had changed color due to stress, but after being transferred and placed out of direct sunlight, it reverted to green. Up six months, I’ll check in with my client to see how things are going.
I knew I had to do a post and video about this unfortunate Christmas Cactus that was lying on its side when I first saw it. Stress is the cause of your Christmas Cactus becoming orange (or another hue). This occurs in all other plants as well. Stress affects us all, and plants are no exception!
More houseplant information can be found in my basic and easy-to-understand houseplant care guide, Keep Your Houseplants Alive.
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Can a Christmas cactus bloom different colors?
My kid brought me a lovely white-flowering Christmas cactus. Its blossoms, on the other hand, were pink the next year. What went wrong?
Hybrid plants frequently revert back to the species’ main hue.
Thankfully, the flowers are still lovely, just not in the color you ordered.
Continue to develop it in a bright spot.
Reduce the amount of water you use starting October 1st, and move to a cooler, darker place at night to be rewarded with flowers.
What does it mean when Christmas cactus turns red?
A magnesium deficiency, which is a common illness in Christmas cacti, is characterized by red or purple-tinged foliage and wilting. It happens primarily during the winter months, when feeding and watering are restricted and the plant’s nutrient uptake is slowed by freezing temperatures. Winter temperatures of 55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal for the cactus. Epsom salts can be used to treat a magnesium deficit. 8 heaping tablespoons Epsom salts dissolved in 2 1/2 gallons water, plus 1 to 2 drops dishwashing liquid Fill a spray bottle halfway with the mixture and spritz the tops and undersides of the foliage. Reapply the mixture every two weeks until the foliage regains its natural color.
Why is my white Christmas cactus turning pink?
ANDREA, DEAR: Your plant is stressed, and you are accurate. A Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) with a pink discoloration could be a sign of root rot, which is caused by overwatering or inadequate drainage. The only way to be certain is to take the plant out of its container and examine the roots (gently). Roots are healthy if they are fresh and white. They’re starting to deteriorate if the tips are brown or black. If they’re sticky or mushy, they’re rotten, and there’s probably nothing you can do to salvage the plant. However, depending on the depth of the decay, you may be able to undo the damage.
Remove any visible root damage and thoroughly rinse the roots in cool, fresh water before leaving the plant unpotted overnight. Trim away any mushy or severely damaged foliage, as well. If your plant has outgrown its pot, upgrade to a one-size-larger one. If the pot is the right size, wash and disinfect it with a 10% bleach solution, then rinse and dry well. For about a week, repot the plant in fresh potting mix and don’t water it. Water thoroughly until water drains through the holes at the bottom of the pot, then wait until the top inch of soil is fully dry before watering again. Any water that collects in the saucer should be discarded so that it does not seep into the soil through the drainage hole.
Christmas cactuses can become pink or crimson when they don’t get enough water, which may seem paradoxical. These plants require very little water throughout the winter, even if they are kept indoors all year, but their needs increase during the growing season.
If the roots appear healthy and you don’t think it’s due to lack of water (after all, you’ve maintained it alive for 17 years), it’s conceivable your plant is becoming pink owing to improper sun exposure. During the winter, Christmas cactuses need full light, and during the active growing season, they need partial shade. Make sure it’s in the right place.
A magnesium deficit, which is common during the winter, could also be to blame. This can be fixed by sprinkling the entire plant with one teaspoon of Epsom salts dissolved in a gallon of room-temperature water, including the undersides of the leaves. Once a month, repeat this process until the plant’s color returns to normal.
Why is my Christmas cactus turning light green?
What does watering have to do with it? Drainage is essential. Roots might get soggy and unable to absorb nutrients if moisture gathers at the bottom of the pot.
This can cause stem segments to wilt and turn a pale green to yellow hue, and the roots to rot, resulting in more withering and discoloration due to fungal infection.
Make sure your container has at least one drainage hole on the bottom to avoid drainage issues.
To increase root aeration and drainage, the potting media should contain fine gravel, pumice, or sand.
You can go one step further and put a layer of stones to the bottom of the container to help prevent water pooling, which can lead to rotting.
When watering, don’t leave the pot submerged in a dish of water, as this will prevent air from reaching the drainage hole.
If you have a dry environment and need to keep your tropical plants moist by placing them in a pan of wet gravel, make sure the water level in the pan is no higher than the gravel, allowing air to reach the drainage holes of the containers.
Why is my Christmas cactus losing its green color?
The Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera) is one of my favorite plants for several reasons: it’s beautiful, it blooms during the holiday season when most other plants aren’t, and it blooms year after year for decades. It’s no surprise, however, that the sight of a Christmas Cactus shedding leaves will be alarming.
Overwatering or conditions that result in damp soil are the most prevalent causes of a Christmas Cactus loosing leaves. This results in root rot and other damage to the plant. Leaf drop can also be caused by poor drainage, temperature stress, overfertilization, lighting issues, or pests.
Why is my Christmas cactus blooming white?
Thanksgiving cactus, holiday cactus, and crab cactus are all names for the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera truncata). The leaf-shaped stem segments with curled, sharp teeth or claws around the margins are known as crab claws. The leaf segments of the Easter cactus (Schlumbergera buckleyi) have rounded edges. They all originated in the gloomy, damp forests of southeast Brazil. They’re called epiphytes because they thrive on trees above ground, in places where branches meet and decomposing fallen leaves and mosses collect.
Despite the fact that this plant is called a cactus, the care it requires has little to do with its desert cousins. It’s a cactus that grows in the forest. Its requirements can be traced back to their source. The optimum time to plant a Christmas cactus is when it is warm “I’m stuck in a pot.” This entails keeping it in a small container for as long as possible before transferring it to a little larger pot. They prefer a nutrient-dense organic potting mix and should not be allowed to dry out. When the plant is blossoming, increase the amount of water it receives. They enjoy indirect light that is bright. As the plants begin to burn, the leaf segments might turn a dark crimson color.
‘The’ “The “secret” to getting your Christmas cactus to bloom in the years after you buy it boils down to two factors: light and temperature. These two are the keys to the kingdom of flowers. Flowers are produced by Christmas cacti in a chilly, short-day cycle. It takes at least eight days of 16 hours of darkness and 8 hours of light every day to start the creation of flower buds. Do not turn on the lights at night, even if only for a brief time, wherever the plant is put. This violates the required dark cycle. It should be around 61 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid placing the plant in an area where it will be exposed to cold or hot air drafts.
It’s as simple as putting the Christmas cactus on the window sill in a chilly room and not turning on the lights. If the plant was in a brightly lit room, the side closest to the window often grows buds, but the plant’s illuminated side does not. If the plant produces flower buds but then loses them, it’s usually due to either too much or too little water or a lack of air humidity. The good news is that if their temperature and light needs are met, Christmas cacti are reasonably straightforward to re-bloom.
Why does my Christmas cactus have white flowers?
In both direct and indirect light, our White Christmas Cactus thrives. These cheerful winter flowers liven up indoor spaces and look lovely in a brilliantly colored planter. The blooms have brilliantly colored petals that face downward. Yellow, red, white, pink, salmon, and bi-color Christmas cactus are just a few of the colors available.
White Christmas Cactus thrives inside in a room with bright but indirect light, such as a window sill on the east or north. Although the White Christmas Cactus can adapt to low light, it will bloom more rapidly if exposed to bright light. The flowers are dazzling white and bloom profusely when exposed to strong, indirect light and ambient temperatures ranging from 65 to 75 degrees F.
The plants want to be kept on the drier side. During the holiday season, the White Christmas Cactus adds an attractive white hue to the foliage, which is bright green. When attending a party or gathering, the Christmas Cactus is also a nice gift for the hostess. They are an excellent addition to any home because they are simple to maintain and give a splash of color.
When should you put a Christmas cactus in the dark?
Place the mature plant in a dark room or keep it covered (under a box or bag works good) for at least 12 hours a day in late September or early October.
Why did my Christmas cactus turn purple?
Repotting Christmas cactus in the spring is recommended if the plant is rootbound. Transfer the plant to a well-drained potting mix, such as ordinary potting soil mixed with perlite or sand. The pot has to be one size bigger.
Christmas cactus requires intense light during the fall and winter months, but too much direct light during the summer months may cause the leaves to become purple on the margins. Sunburn can be avoided and the problem solved by moving the plant to a more suitable place. Make sure the area is distant from drafty windows and open doors. Similarly, stay away from hot, dry regions like around a fireplace or a heating vent.