While the red poinsettia is probably the most popular holiday plant, a blooming Christmas cactus makes a great gift for any gardener. Not only are their stems beautiful, but these plants will produce stunning flowers (with proper care) around the holidays.
To care for your holiday cactus, place in an area that is close to a north or east-facing window. Water your holiday cactus whenever the top inch of soil dries out. Finally, fertilize your holiday cactus once a month with a half-strength soluble fertilizer during the spring and summer months. To force your holiday cactus to bloom, place your plant in a dark, cool area for at least 12 hours a day for 6 to 8 weeks prior to blooming.
This article will provide some history on the origins of the Christmas cactus and describe the care they require in more detail. Finally, I will describe how to get these cacti to bloom.
About The Christmas Cactus
The Christmas cactus belongs to the Schlumbergera genus, which is a small genus comprised of plants that are native to southeastern Brazil. These species have flattened stems and elongated flowers. The species belonging to the Schlumbergera genus are listed below.
- S. truncata (Thanksgiving Cactus)
- S. gaertneri
- S. microsphaerica
- S. kautskyi
- S. russelliana
- S. opuntioides
- S. orssichiana
- S. rosea (Easter Cactus)
- S. lutea
- S. x buckleyi (Christmas Cactus) – hybrid of S. russelliana and S. truncata
Schlumbergeras have flattened stems called phylloclades which are photosynthetic shoots that are considered to be modified branches. Because the phylloclades are responsible for photosynthesis, there are no true leaves on Schlumbergeras.
Most houseplants belonging to the Schlumbergera genus are cultivars rather than species. This means humans have crossed two or more natural species of Schlumbergera in order to obtain desirable traits.
Unlike many other cacti, the Christmas cactus (and other plants belonging to the Schlumbergera genus) is not from a hot, dry climate. They are actually native to the coastal mountains of southeastern Brazil which is a tropical area.
In the wild, the Christmas cactus grows as an epiphyte in rainforests. An epiphyte is a plant that grows on the surface of trees or rocks. Air plants are another example of an epiphyte. Christmas cacti are usually found in shady areas with high humidity.
These plants will live a long time as long as you take care of them. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, Christmas cacti can live up to 30 years. I have heard of them living even longer than that. They will continue to bloom and grow throughout their long lives.
Thanksgiving Cacti vs Christmas Cacti
Thanksgiving cacti are often sold as Christmas cacti during the holiday season. This may be due to the difference in blooming time. Thanksgiving cacti bloom about a month before Christmas while Christmas cacti bloom closer to Christmas day.
Thanksgiving cacti and Christmas cacti look very similar. However, there are some differences. Christmas cacti (Schlumbergera x buckleyi) have leaves with rounded edges. Thanksgiving cacti look very similar as they have the same color scheme. However, Thanksgiving cacti have pointy, jagged leaves.
Unfortunately, Christmas cacti are no longer sold in the United States because Thanksgiving cacti bloom earlier and are available in a wider variety of colors. If you want to get your hands on a real Christmas cactus, you will have to obtain a cutting from someone who already has one. If you don’t know anybody who owns a Christmas cutting, check out eBay.
Christmas Cactus Care
Because the Thanksgiving cactus and Christmas cactus are so similar, they require very similar care. As a result, you can apply the guidelines below to both Schlumbergeras.
Lighting
Like all plants, holiday cacti need light to grow. Holiday cacti do best when exposed to bright, indirect light. A north or east-facing window will fulfill the light requirements of a holiday cactus.
If you keep your holiday cactus outdoors during the summer, make sure you place them in an area with partial shade. Bright, direct sunlight will cause these cacti to turn a pale yellow color. Limp leaves or burns are also signs of too much sunlight.
Watering
Because holiday cacti are native to a tropical climate, they require more watering than many other species of cactus. In the wild, holiday cacti receive a significant amount of rainfall year-round. When determining how much you should water your cactus, it is important to consider the weather and time of year.
If you live in a hot, dry climate, you may need to water your holiday cactus every two or three days. However, if you keep your Christmas cactus or Thanksgiving cactus indoors, you may only need to water these plants every week. When you do water your Christmas cactus, water thoroughly. Then allow the soil to dry out completely.
However, you should water your cactus less frequently during the colder months in order to stimulate blooming.
Overwatering
Like other species of cacti, holiday cacti are sensitive to overwatering. Overwatering can lead to root rot and can cause the leaves to drop.
One of the first symptoms of an overwatered holiday cactus is limp leaves. Then the stems of the plant will become soft and mushy. Finally, the plant will start to stink in extreme conditions.
Fortunately, a holiday cactus can recover from overwatering if you recognize the symptoms early and take action.
If you notice that your holiday cactus is starting to exhibit symptoms of overwatering, dump out any excess water. Then remove the plant from its pot and remove any rotting stems or roots. Next, rinse the roots with fresh water and allow them to dry out for a day. Finally, repot your cactus in fresh soil.
Plant your holiday cactus in an unglazed pot if possible. This will encourage the evaporation of excess moisture.
Underwatering
Holiday cacti are tropical cacti, so they cannot take as much underwatering as other types of succulents. Wilting is a sign of underwatering. If you see your cactus begin to wilt, press your finger into the soil to determine whether it is too dry.
If you determine that your holiday cactus is underwatered, begin by giving the plant a small drink rather than a thorough soaking. Then continue to water sparingly every couple of days until the soil is moist. This method will minimize the chance of shocking your plant.
Humidity
Because these holiday cacti are tropical plants, humidity is an important aspect of caring for a Christmas cactus or Thanksgiving cactus. These cacti should be in an environment with a humidity between 50 and 60 percent. There are a couple of ways to increase the humidity if your home is drier than this.
The easiest way to increase humidity is to keep your cactus on top of a tray of pebbles. Keep water in the tray of pebbles in order to increase the humidity around the plant.
If your cactus is in a hanging basket, you may also consider purchasing a humidifier.
Fertilizer
According to Clemson University Extension, holiday cacti should be fertilized with a 1/2 strength soluble fertilizer (20-10-20 or 20-20-20) containing trace elements every month from when new growth appears in late winter through summer.
Stop fertilizing your plant during the late summer. This will result in greater flower bud production in the fall.
Holiday cacti require more magnesium (Mg) than most plants. Therefore, it is a good idea to fertilize your plant with Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) every couple of months. Simply add a teaspoon of Epsom salt to a gallon of water when you water your cactus. Do not apply Epsom salt and regular fertilizer at the same time.
Soil
Holiday cacti do best in a growing medium that drains well. This helps minimize overwatering problems. A good potting mix for holiday cacti consists of about 70% cacti potting soil and about 30% perlite. The potting soil should be of good quality and should have a pH between 5.5 and 6.2.
Temperature
The ideal temperature for holiday cacti is around 70°F during the day and between 60°F and 65°F during the night. Cooler temperatures are required to get these cacti to bloom, but that will be discussed later.
Do not place your holiday cactus near areas that could get super hot (e.g., close to a radiator or fireplace).
Although they are commonly kept as houseplants, holiday cacti can also do well outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 9 through 11. Bring your holiday cacti indoors once temperatures dip down below 50°F as these cacti cannot tolerate any frost.
Repotting
Holiday cacti will actually produce more flowers when they are grown in containers. However, they do need to be repotted every two or three years. It is best to repot these types of cacti during the spring.
Blooming
To force a holiday cactus to bloom, you must change your care routine by giving the cactus little water, exposing it to less sunlight, and by placing it in an environment with cooler temperatures.
Although the holiday cacti have similar care requirements, they do bloom during different parts of the year. This means that you must start these light and temperature treatments at different times depending on the type of cactus. The table below summarizes these time frames.
| Holiday Cactus | Blooming Period | When to Blooming Treatments |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas | Early Winter | Late October to Early November |
| Thanksgiving | Late Fall | Mid to Late September |
| Easter | Mid to Late Spring | Late March |
To force a holiday cactus to bloom, you must allow the plant to enter dormancy. To start this process, cut back on watering (see table above for time frame).
In addition, it is important to expose your plant to 12 to 14 hours of darkness each night. You can do this by putting your plant in a closet or by covering them. Bright, indirect light is fine during the day. You will also need to put your cactus in a location with cooler nighttime temperatures (50°F to 60°F). Continue these treatments for 6 to 8 weeks until you start to see blooms appear.
Flowering can last up to 7-8 weeks if the cactus is in an environment that maintains a temperature of around 68°F.
If your plant is exposed to any stress after it blooms, the cactus will drop its buds. Too much water will make the flower buds drop. Some examples of stress are listed below.
- Exposure to high temperatures (above 90°F) can also cause flower buds to drop.
- Overwatering.
- Being placed in an area with a draft.
- Sudden change in temperature.
Propagation
Holiday cacti can be easily propagated with cuttings. It is best to propagate holiday cacti during May or June. To propagate a holiday cactus, cut a section of 3 to 5 phylloclades (stem segments) off of the plant. Allow the cut section to callous over. Then place the cutting in well-draining soil and water.
Alternatively, you could propagate a holiday cactus hydroponically. Simply place the end of the cutting in a jar of water after it has calloused over. If you want roots to form more quickly, dip the end of your cutting in rooting hormone before putting it in the water. After several weeks, the cuttings will have roots. Once it has roots, plant the cutting in well-draining soil.