The Christmas cactus is a popular houseplant for a reason: it’s beautiful! They produce gorgeous, tubular flowers in pink or lilac colors when they bloom. They’re a fantastic plant because of their lovely blossoms, long bloom time, and low maintenance requirements. We’re sure you have a Christmas cactus in your household!
About Christmas Cacti
The Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi) and its cousins do not live in hot, arid conditions like deserts or plains, unlike other cacti. These epiphytic succulents are native to southern Brazil’s tropical rainforests, where they grow on tree branches and absorb the high humidity, dappled sunlight, and moderate temperatures.
The bottom line is that you shouldn’t treat a Christmas cactus like any other cactus or succulent. They can’t withstand the same hot, dry circumstances as other cactus. These cacti require more frequent watering than most succulents, but you must be careful not to overwater them. (For more information, see the thorough care instructions below.)
Thanksgiving, Easter, or Christmas Cactus?
Easter cactus (S. gaertneri), Thanksgiving cactus (S. truncata), and Christmas cactus are the three primary types of “holiday” cacti (S. x buckleyi). Each holiday cactus blooms closest to the holiday for which it is named. Most “Christmas cacti” offered nowadays, on the other hand, are actually Thanksgiving cacti, which bloom from November to February and hence go unrecognized as Christmas cacti. See our post on the different types of holiday cacti and how to identify them apart for more information.
Note: On this page, we use the word “Christmas cactus” to refer to all three of these species because it is the most generally used term and our care advice applies to all of them!
Does Christmas cactus need sun?
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.
How can you tell the difference between a Christmas cactus and a Easter cactus?
The Christmas season has arrived, which means not only holiday decorations but also seasonal plants! This is the time of year when there are a lot of attractive holiday plants to pick from, whether you buy them from a florist or a nursery, or you grow them yourself. The Christmas cactus is one of the most popular plants to give or receive at this time of year. Is it a cactus for Easter or Thanksgiving?
The shape of the leaves is the distinction between the three cacti. On the edges of the leaf of the Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumgera truncata), there are exceedingly sharp and claw-shaped projections. The leaf projections of the Christmas cactus (Schlumgera bridgesti) are more scalloped or tear drop shaped. The Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaertnerrii) features a leaf with highly rounded margins that are centered.
How do you keep a Christmas cactus alive?
- Watering: Mist your plant frequently while it is blooming to keep the soil uniformly moist.
- Light: For moderate light and some direct sun, place the cactus in an east-facing window.
- Fertilize every two weeks once buds have formed with a high-potassium fertilizer.
How many times a year does a Christmas cactus bloom?
Is It Possible For A Christmas Cactus To Bloom More Than Once A Year? Yes. Christmas cactus, unlike many other succulents, can bloom again in the spring if given the right conditions.
Do Christmas cactus like bathrooms?
These Schulumbergea species are found only on the southeast coast of Brazil, in a very restricted habitat. They grow in a series of coastal mountain ranges that are heavily influenced by the Atlantic Ocean’s proximity. Warm air is forced up from the shore, where it confronts cooler conditions at altitude, resulting in condensation that keeps the environment moist all year. The cool, drizzly weather is similar to that of the Pacific Coast, where marine influence is always present.
These soft cacti are actually quasi-epiphytic, which means they are neither terrestrial nor true air plants like other cacti. They want conditions similar to those found in the crotches of trees and crannies of branches in wet lowlands, where orchids live. In the wild, the cactus prefers to thrive on surfaces where decomposing organic matter collects behind heavy layers of fluffy moss. They frequently pour out of cliff rock crevices, rooted deep into fractures where organic litter gathers, storing both nourishment and perennial moisture.
Christmas cacti, like other cacti, require complete drainage, but they also require moisture. This can be difficult to attain if you aren’t paying attention. Organic matter dries up quickly when the humidity is low. This explains why it’s so difficult to keep Christmas cactus alive, and why they won’t grow to the size they do in humidity-controlled greenhouses. Any plant you buy was bred and propagated commercially under these conditions.
These cactus are prized in colder locations for their huge tubular flowers, which bloom indoors during the gloomy, short days of midwinter. The nectar-rich blooms are designed for hummingbird pollination. Hummers will come to feed on warm winter days if you decorate for the holidays with a larger plant as a patio table centerpiece. These covered patios are great for lowering our high UV light, which can harm foliage and shorten life span, because this cactus prefers filtered shade. During the holidays, purchase hanging specimens to thrive both indoors and outdoors.
Our terrible cholla and the Christmas cactus have something in common: both are segmented. This is an asexual propagation mechanism that causes segments to detach when a bird lands on them or when there is a strong breeze. Segments break off, fall to new spots, and take root, demonstrating how easy they are to propagate at home. Simply separate a few segments, allow the wound to heal in the shade for a day or two, and then place them in moistened dune sand. Roots grow rapidly.
Breeding four core species and repeated recrossing of their hybrids to boost blossom size and color resulted in today’s cultivated Christmas cactus. Christmas cactus, unlike Easter cactus, belong to the Buckleyi genus, which descends from Schlumbergia russelliana, which has pink pollen and downward facing flowers.
It’s simple to figure out what these plants require to thrive if you understand their environment. It’s not simple, but it’s doable if you’re rigorous about misting your plans with bottled water rather than our mineral-rich tap water, which leaves a white residue on the leaves. After the blossoming has stopped, bring them inside and place them under a bathroom skylight, where they will enjoy the shower steam. Water frequently to maintain the “soil” evenly moist, but make sure drainage is unrestricted. Avoid collecting water in a saucer or cachepot.
You now know why you haven’t had much luck with Christmas cactus in the past. It’s basically a humidifier-loving jungle cactus transplanted to a scorchingly dry, sun-drenched desert.
You’ll undoubtedly kill your Christmas cactus no matter how hard you try. It’s not you, per per, but our environment that causes these lovely blossoming plants to end up in the trash in January. They’re actual cactus, yet they’re nothing like our desert kind.
Do you water a Christmas cactus from the top or bottom?
Remember that Christmas cactus plants demand moist soil rather than the dry dirt preferred by most other succulents. When the top inch or two of soil on a Christmas cactus is dry, water it. Fill the pot saucer with stones and water to just below the tops of the pebbles (the pot should not be sitting directly in water) to assist improve the humidity around your plant. As the water evaporates, the air will become more humid. (See below for watering suggestions if you’re attempting to get your Christmas cactus to rebloom.)
Is a Christmas cactus a houseplant?
The Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) is a popular winter-flowering houseplant that works well in almost any indoor environment. It’s not only easy to care for, but it’s also easy to propagate, making it an excellent choice for holiday gift giving.
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.
What plant looks like a Christmas cactus?
Epiphyllum, or the Orchid Cactus, is recognized for its beautiful and vibrantly colored blossoms. Imagine them blooming in their natural home in the rainforest, up in the tree tops! Here’s where you may learn more about them: Epiphyllum.