The name “Christmas Cactus” is a misnomer. These aren’t sun-loving, drought-resistant cactus. They prefer bright but filtered sunlight and regular watering to keep their potting material from drying up completely. They are native to the treetops of Brazil’s coastal mountain ranges. They thrive in pots, which makes them even easier to care for because they don’t need to be repotted.
They should be handled like a houseplant once the blossoms have faded.
Water them on a regular basis and keep them in bright light but not direct sunlight. They can be cultivated outside in the summer if their pots are in dappled shade, they are regularly watered, and they are brought inside before nightfall. The mercury soared over 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Fertilize your plant once a year in late spring or early summer to ensure a healthy, happy plant.
The most popular Christmas Cactus inquiry is how to encourage them to bloom again after the first year. Cooler temperatures and long nights are required for blooming. These cacti are short-day plants, which means that long, dark, cool nights promote blooming. To set flower buds, they require 14-16 hours of unbroken darkness and 8 hours of daylight for 3 to 6 weeks. Because streetlights and indoor lights will break their required darkness cycle, you can either cover them with a black garbage bag each night or install them near a window in a room that is rarely used at night. It will be much nicer if the indoor temperature is a little colder. Their ideal nighttime temperature ranges from 50 to 68 degrees. When flower buds form along the leaf ends, return the plant to its original location in your home to enjoy the flowers.
What months do Christmas cactus bloom?
- Water every two to three weeks, but only until the top one-third of the soil feels dry to the touch. Water when the top 2 inches of soil feel dry, for example, if the plant is in 6 inches of soil. (Check with your finger!)
- Soak the soil until water runs through the drainage holes in the pot when it is suitably dry. To catch the water, place a tray underneath the pot. Remove any extra water from the tray after 10-15 minutes so that the pot does not sit in water.
- Feed every two weeks with a balanced houseplant fertilizer from spring through early fall. Feed the cactus once a month in the fall and winter to encourage blooming.
- Late in the spring, prune plants to encourage branching and more flowers. Simply cut a few portions off each stem, and the plant will branch out from the wound.
- Place the cut pieces in a gently wet potting soil if desired; they will root easily after a few weeks and make great Christmas gifts!
How to Get Your Christmas Cactus to Bloom
The lower temperatures and longer evenings of autumn bring out the blooms of Christmas cacti and its relatives. This is the general blooming schedule for the three main species of Christmas cacti:
- Thanksgiving cactus are the earliest and most persistent bloomers, blooming from late October to mid-winter.
It’s possible that your cactus isn’t flowering because it’s getting too much sunshine or being exposed to too hot temperatures. Here are some pointers to help you get yours to bloom!
- For at least six weeks, nights must be at least 14 hours long and days must be between 8 and 10 hours. If you have powerful interior lighting that is turned on at night, you may need to cover your cactus or transfer it to a location where it can be exposed to natural light.
- Flower buds form best when the plant is kept between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit (10 and 15 degrees Celsius).
- By exposing the plant to temperatures of around 45°F (7°C) for several nights in a row, you can jumpstart the budding process.
- Ensure that you water the plant on a regular basis when it is in bloom. If the plant dries out too much, the buds may fall off.
- Don’t worry if the cactus loses its buds throughout the winter; it will bloom the next year!
Can a Christmas cactus bloom in March?
In March, Christmas and Thanksgiving cactus occasionally bloom profusely. This is a fairly regular occurrence. In fact, you shouldn’t be surprised if you see blossoms from March to May, though they’ll be sparser than the blooms you’ll see during the holidays. Because most holiday cactus bloom more than once a year, this is the case. Examine the leaf sections for any buds that may be budding. You can use the instructions above to encourage them to bloom, or you can just wait and see what happens!
Enjoy those vibrant blossoms at any time of year, and post your photos to our Facebook page!
Why are Christmas cactus blooming now?
Cooler temperatures and long nights are required for blooming. These cacti are short-day plants, which means that long, dark, cool nights promote blooming. It’s natural for a few buds to fall off, but drafts will force the plant to lose all of its buds at once, and you’ll be out of luck for another year.
How many times a year do 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.
Why didn’t my Christmas cactus bloom this year?
Drought stress or too much light, as it is a short-day plant, are the causes of Christmas cactus not blooming. The Christmas cactus has evolved to thrive in humid, rainy environments. If it’s too dry or there are too many hours of sunshine during bloom creation, it won’t flower.
There are a number of other reasons that can hinder the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera) from blossoming, which I’ve included below:
Continue reading to learn why your Christmas cactus isn’t blossoming, as well as the best methods and strategies for getting it to bloom…
Do Christmas cactuses flower every year?
With proper maintenance, Christmas cacti will bloom every year. Reduce watering and place the plant in a cool area (about 12°C) for two months after flowering. Then return it to its original location (you can put it outside, on a patio or balcony, in summer). Give your plant another time of rest in a cool area starting in mid-September, and stop watering until buds form. Return the plant to its flowering position, taking care not to move it too much or it will lose its buds.
Does Christmas cactus bloom at Easter?
The Christmas cacti are all native to the tropics of South America, where they can be seen growing organically on trees. Because of this, they are also known as “jungle cactus” in addition to “holiday cacti.”
Although an Easter cactus looks a lot like the other holiday kinds, there are a few methods to tell them apart. The flowering season is a simple technique to identify the species. Easter cacti bloom in the spring, with flower buds appearing in February and flowers blooming from March until May. Cacti that bloom in late fall or winter are known as Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti, with Thanksgiving variants blooming a month earlier than Christmas types.
How long do Christmas cactus flowers last?
Are you looking for flowers for Christmas or Thanksgiving? To determine the autumn date to begin preparing the plant for reblooming, count back eight weeks. Increase the amount of times you water, but not the volume of water, once buds form. Too much water, as well as moving the plant around, might cause buds to fall out. The flowering time of the Christmas cactus is four to six weeks, with each blossom lasting six to nine days. After the plant has flowered, pinch off enough parts of each stem to achieve a uniform habit. When new growth sprouts, resume normal watering and fertilizer.
Christmas cacti require direct exposure, but take the following steps to avoid the scorching summer sun: If you want to keep your plant indoors during the summer, move it away from the window a few feet to avoid burning the stems. When the plant is brought outside, it still need protection when the sun reaches its highest point.
What do you do with a Christmas cactus after it blooms?
When thinking about how to care for a Christmas cactus, keep in mind that it enjoys temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees F (15-21 degrees C) and moderate to high humidity levels. Adding more humidity to the home by placing a tray of pebbles filled with water beneath the Christmas cactus pot is a fantastic idea.
Allow the Christmas cactus to begin its dormancy cycle by cutting back on Christmas cactus watering and reducing both light and temperature once all flowering has stopped (typically by fall), or about six to eight weeks before you want the plant to rebloom. Simply reduce watering and ensure that the plant receives 12-14 hours of darkness and average temperatures of 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit (10-12 C.). Keep the Christmas cactus out of drafty areas as well.
The Christmas cactus is not difficult to care for if you understand how to do so, and if given sufficient care and placed in a good position, it may even surprise you with extra blooming cycles throughout the year.
How do you take care of a Christmas cactus bloom?
- 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.