Bright light, but not direct sunshine, is excellent for these plants. They require colder temperatures than desert cactus do, even during the day, and can bloom for months in temps as low as 55 to 60 degrees F. (13-16 C.).
Maintain a little mist on the soil and let it dry completely before watering it again. Every two years in the spring, repotting is required for proper Easter cactus care. The plants appreciate being confined to their pots, but repot the plant with fresh soil.
After the blooming season, fertilize once a month with 10-10-10 or a fertilizer with a low nitrogen content.
If your house is dry, add some humidity. Put the plant on a saucer with some water and pebbles in it. The air around the plant will become more humid due to evaporation.
What kind of soil is necessary for an Easter cactus?
Hatioragaertneri and Rhipsalidopsisrosea are the two plant species referred to as “Easter cactus” (unresolved synonyms include Rhipsalidopsisgaertneri, Epiphyllum gaertneri, and Epiphyllopsis gaertneri) (synonym Hatiorarosea). The former has smaller pink blossoms while the latter has larger reddish-orange blooms. There have been many hybrids created with various flower shapes and colors, but they can all be handled the same way.
Easter cactus gets its name from its early spring flowers. The Easter cactus develops as an epiphyte in the top levels of trees in its native habitat in tropical Brazil, and this gives you a tip about how to grow the plant in your own home.
Easter Cactus prefers temperatures of 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer and fall, and 45 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter. It prefers strong light but not direct sunlight. You may either buy commercial bromeliad soil mix or prepare your own by combining potting soil and pumice or perlite in a 1:1 ratio. It also enjoys a humid environment, so grow it in one by using a humidity tray or mist it frequently with water.
You must carefully adhere to a watering and temperature control routine in order to encourage your Easter cactus to bloom again:
- Start letting the soil dry out in the fall and only watering the plant as needed to keep it from shriveling. Additionally, relocate the plant to a cool area (45 – 55F.). Late winter will see the formation of buds, and early spring will see the plant flower.
- After flowering, relocate the plant to a warm area (75–80F) and start watering it again. Between waterings, let the soil become completely dry. During the summer growing season, the plants may get soluble, balanced fertilizer every week or two. Plants will grow healthier if they are repotted every year or two.
How is an Easter cactus transplanted?
Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri is the name given to the Easter cactus by botanists. In its natural home in the rainforest, this cactus grows in the branches of trees. This cactus belongs to the group of cacti known as epiphytic cacti, which have a little different growing conditions than other cacti. They resemble the Christmas cactus in appearance. The Easter cactus accepts being restrained by its roots. To replenish the soil’s nutrients, they must be replanted every two to three years. You can pot the Easter cactus again in the same-sized pot.
- Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri is the name given to the Easter cactus by botanists.
- This cactus belongs to the group of cacti known as epiphytic cacti, which have a little different growing conditions than other cacti.
Rinse the container with a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water after washing it in hot, soapy water. Any organisms that cause plant illness will be eliminated by this. This step is crucial, particularly if you are planting in a repurposed container.
In the interior of the pot, cover the drain holes with a piece of wire mesh screen. You might substitute a clay pot fragment instead. This will stop soil from seeping out of the container’s bottom.
The container’s bottom should be half-filled with tiny gravel. This will stop any water from collecting in the container’s bottom and help stop root rot.
- Rinse the container with a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water after washing it in hot, soapy water.
- This will stop any water from collecting in the container’s bottom and help stop root rot.
To give the Easter cactus a growing medium that has more organic components than regular cactus soil, combine two parts peat moss, one part potting soil, and one part sand.
The Easter cactus should be placed in the pot with 1/2 inch of the soil mixture, and the soil mixture should be filled in around it. Around the cactus, pack down the soil firmly and leave it 1/2 to 1 inch below the rim of the container.
An Easter cactus will develop flower buds if its roots are left confined. Allowing the temperature to drop at night will also encourage the growth of blooms. The Easter cactus will flower more if the days are shorter and the nightly low is around 55 degrees F. The Easter cactus might not bloom if the temperature at night is higher than 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Your Easter cactus can be infested with scales and mealy bugs. Rubbin’ alcohol can be used to clean the cactus leaves and get rid of these pests.
Letting the soil dry out in between waterings will prevent the death of your Easter cactus. Your Easter cactus needs humidity to thrive. To keep the cactus’ stems from shriveling, place it in a location with moderate humidity.
Do Easter cacti require special soil?
The Easter cactus is a low-maintenance plant that does particularly well in enclosed spaces. Your cactus will grow more quickly and produce springtime blooms that are healthier and more vivid with proper care.
Lighting and Temperature
Avoid placing the Easter cactus in direct sunlight as it requires moderate light. Additionally, this plant prefers temperatures between 75 and 80 °F. Maintain your cactus in the dark for at least 14 hours every day and keep it between 45 and 65F during the winter. By imitating natural climate patterns, this aids in encouraging the development of flower buds in the spring.
Watering and Humidity
Easter cacti require wet soil, but you should take care not to overwater them. Pests, rot, and disease can develop in your cactus as a result of wet soil or standing water. As a general rule, when soil begins to feel dry to the touch, moisten it with a small amount of water. A humid environment is also necessary for the health of your Easter cactus plant, which is not surprising given the plant’s tropical origins. To keep your plant from getting too dry, spritz it with water every day.
Soil and Fertilizer
Easter cacti thrive in sandy soils, in addition to generally growing well in them. The best potting soil for Easter cactus plants is one that has 1:1 pumice, bark, perlite, or builder’s sand. Additionally, fertilizer should be added every two weeks for optimum growth.
Potting and Propagation
Wait at least a month after flowering is ended before repotting to avoid stressing the plant. Before moving the cactus right away to its new container, shake off any loose soil around the roots while attempting to limit the exposure of the root system to light.
If you want to multiply your plant, all you have to do is cut out a few mature segments from the cactus, let them harden for about two days, and then place them in a pot with moist perlite. The pros at Desert Plants of Avalon can teach you more about how to propagate your Easter cactus.
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!