During the holidays, the Christmas cactus may be seen everywhere, and with good cause. It’s a blooming succulent that requires little maintenance, produces lovely blooms, and, with the right care, can last up to 100 years! That is correct! This plant may endure for a long time, bringing color to your holidays for many years. For a plant that is as cheap and uncomplicated as the Christmas cactus, that’s a fairly great investment!
An ancient Christmas cactus is possible.
It’s likely a big plant if you acquire or inherit an ancient Christmas cactus. Old Christmas cactus maintenance involves trimming back overgrown branches and, occasionally, repotting the plant.
A thorough branch cut is one of the first stages in caring for antique Christmas cacti. It is advisable to trim the branches rather than letting them grow excessively long and heavy because they are more likely to break off. This is especially true if the edges of the leaves appear limp, withered, or thin.
Clip the branches at the segment joints to shape them back. Cut each branch back by at least a third and as much as three-quarters of its length on overgrown cacti. You can even trim a branch of the Christmas cactus all the way back to the woody part if the base of the branch is becoming woody. The wood will sprout new green areas.
Natural habitat
Christmas cacti do not, strictly speaking, have a native environment. They are a hybrid species created through the mating of Schlumbergera truncata (the Thanksgiving cactus) and russelliana. So where are the natural origins of these parent species?
Both are jungle cacti, sometimes known as tropical cacti, which means they don’t typically grow in the same arid environments as many of their cactus siblings. They were first discovered in the same tiny region of tropical southeast Brazil, where they develop in wet, high-altitude woods while soaking up the humidity, shady sunlight, and warm temperatures.
Similar to other epiphytes like string of turtles, air plants, and arrowhead plants, they naturally grow on trees in a non-parasitic manner.
Description
Members of the Rhipsalideae group, Christmas cacti are also known as Zygocacti in horticulture. They are epiphytic succulents that grow on trees, and their growth habit makes them simple to identify. The plants don’t actually have leaves; instead, they create cladodes, which are flattened, green stem segments that resemble long trailing leaves and are employed for photosynthetic purposes.
The flowers of a Christmas cactus are truly stunning, making it impossible to mistake them for anything else. The tubular blooms, which are found at the ends of the segmented stalks, bloom around the Christmas season because the short days and long nights cause them to open (and can bloom again in late winter, given the right conditions).
Selective breeding has produced an astounding array of flower hues, including the traditional red and pink as well as yellow, orange, white, and multicolored varieties.
Cultural significance and lifespan
This plant has unquestionably had significant cultural impact. It is a well-liked indoor plant that is utilized to spruce up homes throughout the holiday season in November and December not just in the US but all over the northern hemisphere.
Did you realize? This plant is called “flor de maio” in its home country of Brazil, which is in the southern hemisphere. This is due to the fact that it blossoms there in May, just before winter, rather than in December!
The plants are widely available starting in the middle of the fall, are cheaply priced while they are in bloom, and are frequently thrown away once they have finished flowering. Like poinsettias and amaryllis, Christmas cacti are frequently treated as seasonal houseplants.
However, Christmas cacti can be kept as indoor plants all year round. With proper care, they can easily live for 20 to 30 years, and in some cases, even up to 100 years or longer!
Can you picture giving your kids or grandchildren a houseplant as a living heirloom? Or getting a Christmas cactus that has been in the family for generations as an inheritance? (I enjoy obsessing about something like that!)
Additionally, you won’t have to stress too much about leaving your cherished plant to your heirs. A Christmas cactus requires only a little extra care to promote repeat blooming during the fall and winter. (Take note that even if your Christmas cactus doesn’t bloom every year, it may still be in good health.)
How much time can the Christmas cactus grow?
How can I speed up the growth of my Christmas cactus? I’d like to grow my plant because it’s now quite small and wouldn’t look well on my dining room table. C. Amanda
Christmas cacti don’t actually reach their maximum size until they die, and as long as you provide them a healthy environment to develop in and take proper care of your plants, they will keep growing and flowering for more than 20 years. Your Christmas cactus can develop into a huge indoor plant with the right maintenance and a few pointers.
Water the soil whenever it seems dry to the touch from early November to late January and from early April to late September, giving it a deep drink each time. Reduce watering to once per week from late January to early April and from late September to early November.
Every four years, Christmas cacti need to be potted again. Every time you repot your cacti, increase the planter size by two inches. Try putting your cactus in a smaller pot if it is growing slowly to encourage development. Your cactus may grow larger if you switch out the potting dirt. Consider combining equal amounts of sand, leaf mold, and common commercial potting soil.
Use an epsom salt solution when watering your Christmas cactus to fertilize it. One teaspoon of epsom salt and one gallon of water are combined to make the solution. From the first week of April to the first week of September, apply this fertilizer once a month. You can also feed once a month from April to September using a water-soluble, all-purpose 20-20-20 fertilizer by combining a half teaspoon of fertilizer with one gallon of water. Alternating between these fertilizers is possible, but only use one feeding each month and avoid using both feeds at once.
When creating the ideal atmosphere for your Christmas cactus, air temperature—whether it’s within your house or outside—is equally crucial. Keep your cactus between 60 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit during the fall and winter. Keep cactus between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit in the spring and summer, but never above 90. Holiday cactuses require additional time in the dark to begin flowering for the holiday season, so they shouldn’t be exposed to more than eight to ten hours of bright light every day during the fall and winter.
How can a Christmas cactus be kept alive indefinitely?
Christmas cacti are highly common indoor plants, and for good reason too! They produce vibrant, tubular flowers that are pink or purple in hue when they bloom. They are a superb plant because of their lovely blossoms, lengthy bloom period, and simple maintenance needs. Someone in your family most likely owns a Christmas cactus!
About Christmas Cacti
The Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi) and its cousins don’t exist in hot, arid conditions like deserts or plains, in contrast to other cacti. These epiphytic succulents, which grow on tree branches and take in the high humidity, dappled sunlight, and moderate temperatures, are actually endemic to the tropical rainforests of southern Brazil.
Bottom line: Don’t handle a Christmas cactus like a typical succulent or cactus. They are unable to withstand the same kind of hot, dry weather that other cactus can. These cacti require more frequent watering than most succulents, but you also need to be careful not to overwater them. (See the care guidelines in more detail below.)
Thanksgiving, Easter, or Christmas Cactus?
The Easter cactus (S. gaertneri), Thanksgiving cactus (S. truncata), and Christmas cactus are the three main varieties of “holiday cacti” that are available (S. x buckleyi). The holiday that each cactus is named after often sees the most blooming. Thanksgiving cacti, which often bloom from November to February and hence go unrecognized as Christmas cacti, make up the majority of “Christmas cacti” sold nowadays. See our post on the several Christmas cacti species and how to distinguish them for more information.
Note: Because it’s the most widely used term and it applies to all three of these species, we’ll refer to all three of them on this page as “Christmas cactus” for simplicity’s sake.
Potting Christmas Cacti
- Choose a pot with a drainage hole on the bottom if you’re choosing one for a Christmas cactus. This prevents the soil from getting overly saturated.
- Most succulent-specific potting mixtures work well for Christmas cacti growth. It’s crucial that your potting soil drains properly.
Where to Put a Christmas Cactus
- Plants should be kept in indirect light that is bright. The best location has an east-facing window or a well-lit bathroom. The delicate leaves might be bleached by too much direct sunshine.
- It is preferable to have a daytime temperature of 70F (21C) and an evening temperature of 60–65F (15–18C).
- Christmas cacti do well in a more humid climate, so keeping them in a well-lit bathroom or kitchen is a smart idea.
- Christmas cacti can be kept in a shady area of the garden or on an unheated porch during the summer until the temperature drops below 50F. (10C). Keep them away from the sun’s rays outside.
How to Care for Christmas Cacti
- Water your plants every two to three weeks, but only when the top third of the soil feels dry to the touch. If the plant is in 6 inches of soil, for instance, water when the top 2 inches of soil feel dry. (Check with your finger!)
- When the soil is completely dry, wet it until water seeps through the drainage holes in the pot. To collect the water, put a tray underneath the pot. To prevent the pot from sitting in water, remove any extra water on the tray after 10 to 15 minutes.
- While the plant is in bloom, it’s very crucial to water thoroughly.
- Feed your indoor plants with a balanced houseplant fertilizer every two weeks from spring through early fall. Feed the cactus once a month in the fall and winter to promote fruitful blooming.
- To promote branching and more flowers, prune plants in the late spring. Simply cut a portion of each stem off; the plant will grow new branches from the incision.
- If desired, plant the cut pieces in potting soil that is only gently damp; they will easily root after a few weeks and make wonderful Christmas gifts!
How to Get Your Christmas Cactus to Bloom
The longer evenings and chilly weather of fall are what cause Christmas cacti and its relatives to bloom. The three major varieties of holiday cacti typically bloom on the following schedule:
- Thanksgiving cactus typically produce flowers from late October through mid-winter, making them the earliest and longest bloomers.
- Christmas cacti often bloom in the early to midwinter months.
- Easter cacti flower around the middle of spring through late winter.
If your cactus isn’t flowering, it can be getting too much light or being exposed to too much heat. Here are some suggestions to help you get blooms from yours!
- For a minimum of six weeks, the nights must be at least 14 hours long and the days between 8 and 10 hours. You might need to cover your cactus or relocate it to an area that is exposed to the natural light cycle if you have powerful interior lighting that is on at night.
- When the plant is kept at temps between 50 and 60F, flower buds form best (10 and 15C).
- By subjecting the plant to temps around 45F (7C) for a number of nights in a succession, you can jumpstart the budding process.
- While the plant is in bloom, be sure to water it consistently. The plant may lose its buds if it dries out too much.
- Don’t worry if the cactus loses its buds one winter; the following year it should bloom.
The three primary varieties of “holiday cacti” are as follows:
- Often mistaken for Christmas cacti, Thanksgiving cacti (Schlumbergera truncata) bloom from late October to mid-winter.
- Christmas cacti (S. x buckleyi) flower in the early to midwinter months.
- Late winter to mid-spring is the blooming period for Easter cacti (S. gaertneri).
- Make sure to water your Christmas cactus frequently and keep it cool when the buds on the plant appear ready to open.
- The optimum time to propagate cuttings is late spring when most holiday cacti start to grow after their winter hibernation.
Blossom loss: Your Christmas cactus will probably lose its blossoms if it experiences any kind of stress. As mentioned in the plant care section above, this could be caused by the amount of light or a sudden shift in temperature. Make sure your soil doesn’t become overly dry while buds are developing.
The plant could be vulnerable to mealy bugs and root rot if overwatered. If you experience issues, remove the affected sections and repot the plant in fresh soil.
How can you tell whether a Christmas cactus is on its last legs?
An examination of the roots of a Christmas cactus will reveal the presence of root rot despite the plant’s withered, limp, and sagging growth.
Gently remove the plant from its container. The roots of a cactus that has rot will have blackened tips. Rotten Christmas cactus roots will be sticky with black or brown decomposition, depending on the extent of the illness.
It’s imperative to take quick action if you find that your Christmas cactus is rotting. Once it has spread, the only cure for the deadly disease rot is to destroy the plant and start over. You can grow a new plant from a leaf if the plant’s healthy portion allows for it.
My Christmas cactus is withering; why?
Lack of water or much sunlight can occasionally result in wilted or weak Christmas cacti. Start by giving the wilting Christmas cactus a small amount of water if you haven’t been watering it. Every few days, continue to water carefully until the soil is barely damp.
Christmas cactus issues can also result from excessively damp soil. The Christmas cactus cannot tolerate wet roots since it is an epiphyte in its natural habitat on the ground of tropical forests, where it takes moisture and nutrients from the air. The roots of Christmas cacti can become excessively wet and floppy because to poor drainage.
Move your wilted or limp Christmas cactus to a location with more shade, especially in the afternoon, if the leaves look dried or burned.