The Christmas cactus is a plant native to Brazil’s coastal rainforests, named for its festive flowers that often appear around the holidays. With proper Christmas cactus care, it can bloom at other times and survive for many years. The orchid-like flowers bloom in shades of red, pink, purple, orange, and white. In its natural habitat, it receives ample moisture and high humidity. This means that it has different care requirements than other cacti in indoor gardens.
Don’t worry, this beautiful plant is also suitable for pets.
Christmas Cactus Care Tips
With the right Christmas cactus care, you can easily get your plants to thrive and bloom indoors year after year.
Light and Temperature
Bright but indirect light is best suited for Christmas cacti. It can tolerate a little direct light, but avoid direct light in the summer, when the sun is stronger, which can burn the fleshy leaves. “If the stem starts to turn reddish-purple, it’s a sign that it’s receiving too much sunlight,” says Alfred Palomares, the 1-800-Flowers.com’s resident plant daddy. When there is too little light, the plants become thin and thin, and the flowers will be sparse even if they bloom.
Christmas cacti grow luxuriantly at lower temperatures and grow best in the range of 60–70°F. It is best to keep the plants away from radiators, fireplaces, and other places that are particularly warm. During the warm summer months, you can grow Christmas cacti outdoors in a sheltered, partially shaded area. Be sure to move plants indoors before the temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Water and Humidity
The time of year is crucial in determining the level and amount of watering. While most cacti can thrive in dry climates, Christmas cacti need to be watered weekly in the spring and summer. “Suspend watering at the beginning of October until the buds begin to set, and then start watering again every week until flowering stops,” Palomares said. During the flowering season, it is always evenly moistened. “Once the flowering stops in January, it is recommended to water twice a month for the rest of the winter to avoid overwatering,” he added.
Christmas cactus care should include higher humidity, so you may need to place a humidifier nearby. Alternatively, try placing the plants on a pebble tray and filling the tray with water just below the top of the rocks. As the water evaporates, the humidity around the plant increases.
Fertilizer
When the Christmas cactus grows vigorously from late winter to late summer, the care of the Christmas cactus involves applying about half the concentration of liquid fertilizer once a month. This plant also benefits from micronutrients, especially magnesium, which you can provide by mixing a teaspoon of Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) into a gallon of water. Apply this mixture once a month during active growth, but do not add fertilizer at the same time.
Trim
Pruning is usually not necessary, unless you want to reduce the size of an overgrown Christmas cactus. Remove withered flowers to encourage cacti to continue flowering for as long as possible.
Potting and Repotting
Use 3 parts regular potting soil mixed with 1 part potting mix specially formulated for cacti and succulents to provide a little extra drainage. Make sure the container has drainage holes, as cacti need plenty of water, but too much can cause it to rot.
You don’t need to repot plants as often because Christmas cacti actually bloom better when they are potted. Every three years or so, you can repot it in the spring as it starts to grow actively again.
Pests and Problems
Any stem that has become soft or yellowish indicates too much moisture. “In addition to letting the soil dry out between drinks, make sure that the water is well drained so that the water can flow freely,” Palomares said. “The plant should also be potted in a container with drainage holes so that the roots do not get stuck in water and root rot develops. ”
Withered or wrinkled stems may indicate the opposite problem of insufficient water. If this is the case, give the cactus plenty of water and try not to let it get too dry again.
Palomares notes that flower buds may not develop and bloom if they receive insufficient light and moisture before early October (when watering stops). Flower bud loss can also occur if the plant does not have enough humidity or too much water. It is best to avoid moving plants during this time, as moving from one room to another can stress the plants and cause the buds to fall off.
Some houseplant pests, such as mealybugs, spider mites, and scale insects, can attack Christmas cacti. A strong spray of water is enough to drive away most bugs. Christmas cactus care should include treating the plant with neem oil according to label instructions to deal with more persistent pests.
Christmas Cactus Flowering Requirements
Christmas cactus care requires specific lighting during the flowering season to help it germinate. The sleep cycle is important not only for humans, but also for plants. “Note that if the buds have not yet set, then just like humans, this houseplant needs sleep,12 to 15 hours of complete darkness a day,” Palomares said.
In late summer, with the arrival of autumn, cool evenings help to naturally kick-start this process of Christmas cacti that grow outdoors in the summer. To start indoors, count down eight weeks from the date you want to bloom. At this point, place the plant in a place where you can get the required uninterrupted darkness. This means that there is no type of light, not even lights or street lights through windows. One way is to keep the plants in a basement or a dark room with a timer for eight weeks. Once the leaf tips begin to sprout, place the plant back in its original position.
If the Christmas cacti are properly cared for, the plants “usually bloom from late October to winter (around January),” Palomares said. “It will continue to bud throughout the flowering period, but by January it will begin to taper off until the following year. Sometimes, though, you may see the buds reappear now.”