These Christmas cactus care tips will keep your plant healthy and blooming for years to come .
Carson Downing
The Christmas cactus is a rainforest native name for its festiveflowers that often appear around the holidays . With proper Christmas cactus fear , it can bloom at other times and experience for years . The orchid - corresponding flowers blossom out in shade of carmine , pink , purple , orange , and white . In its rude habitat , it gets plenty of moisture and high humidity . That means it has different care necessity than other cacti in your indoor garden . Here ’s what you need to know to grow this plant successfully .
Credit:Carson Downing
Alfred Palomaresis the Vice President of Merchandising and resident plant pappa for 1-800-Flowers.com .
Christmas Cactus Care Tips
With the ripe Christmas cactus care , you could easy get your plant to thrive and rosiness twelvemonth after yr indoors .
Light and Temperature
Bright but collateral light is best for a Christmas cactus . It can tolerate a little lineal light , but avoid verbatim light during the summer , when the sun ’s rays are stronger and can burn the heavy leaves .
“ If the stem begin to turn a reddish - imperial coloration , this is an reading that it is receiving too much Lord’s Day , ” articulate Alfred Palomares , Resident Plant Dad for 1-800-Flowers.com . In too little sparkle , industrial plant will become thin and spindly , and the blossom , if they blossom at all , will be thin .
Christmas cactus thrives in coolheaded temperatures and will grow intimately in ranges from 60–70ºF. It ’s best to keep the plant life away from radiator , fireplace , and other extra warm places . During warm summer months , you may get your Christmas cactus outdoors in a sheltered , part - shade location . Just be indisputable tobring the plant indoorsbefore temperatures get below 50ºF.
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
Water and Humidity
The time of twelvemonth is critical when determining watering level and total . While most cacti can flourish in drying agent climate , Christmas cactus requires weekly wateringin the spring and summertime months .
" Hold off on lachrymation in early October until buds set about to coif , then start to give it a weekly deglutition again until bloom Chicago , " says Palomares . During unfolding time of year , keep it evenly moist at all time . " Once flower period in January , a double - monthly watering schedule is recommended throughout the sleep of the wintertime to avoid overwatering , " he adds .
Christmas cactus care should include higher humidity , so you may want to station a humidifier nearby . Or , stress putting your works on a tray of pebbles and filling the tray with water just below the top of the rocks . As the water evaporates , it increases humidness around the works .
Credit: Kritsada Panichgul
Fertilizer
When it ’s actively grow from later winter to late summer , Christmas cactus care include amonthly dose of swimming fertilizer at about one-half durability . This plant benefits from micronutrients , too , especially magnesium , which you may provide by mixing a teaspoonful ofEpsom salts(magnesium sulphate ) into a gallon of water . Apply this variety monthly during active growth , but not at the same meter youadd plant food .
Pruning
Pruning is normally unnecessaryunless you ’d like to cut the size of anovergrown Christmas cactus . Remove fade flowers to encourage the cactus to continue bloom as long as possible .
Potting and Repotting
Use 3 parts unconstipated potting territory mixed with 1 part potting admixture formulated for cactus and succulents to provide a little extra drain . Make trusted the container has drain holes because while this cactus needs plentitude of wet , too much will cause it to rot .
You wo n’t need torepot your Christmas cactusvery often because the plant really flower well when it ’s a little commode - bind . Every three yr or so you’re able to repot it in the spring as it begins to actively grow again .
Have furred friends at home ? Not to fret , Christmas cactus is not toxic to catsand detent .
Credit: Jay Wilde
Pests and Problems
Any stem that have soften or that are yellowing are an indication of too much piss . " Aside from let the soil become wry between boozing , verify that it is well drained so water can move freely , " enunciate Palomares . " The works should also bepotted in a container with drainage holesso that the roots do n’t pose in pooled water anddevelop root decomposition . "
halt wilting or wrinkling can stand for the polar problem of not enough water . If that is the grammatical case , give the cactus a full drink of urine and stress not to permit it get too juiceless again .
Palomares points out that peak buds can bomb to evolve and flower if the brightness level and water received before former October ( when watering stops ) are insufficient . Bud loss can also fall out if the industrial plant does n’t get enough humidity or has too much water . It ’s near to avoid moving a plant during this time , as crusade from one elbow room to another can accent it out and make the flower buds to deteriorate off .
Several houseplant pest , such as mealy bug , spider pinch , and scale , can assail Christmas cacti . A strong spray of water can be enough to dislodge most bug . Christmas cacti care should include treatingthe plant with neem oilaccording to label directions for more persistent pests .
Christmas Cactus Requirements for Blooming
Christmas cacti care requires specific lighting during its flowering season to assist it coiffe buds . " Be mindful that if the buds have not specify yet , then just like people , this houseplant needs its sleep and requires between 12 - 15 hours of complete darkness per day , " says Palomares .
Late - summer , cooler nights as surrender commence to set in help to of course come out this mental process for Christmas cacti growing outside in the summertime . To initiate it indoors , weigh back eight calendar week from the engagement you want efflorescence .
At this point , set your plants where they ’ll get the demand amount of uninterrupted darkness . This means no brightness level of any sort , not even a lamp or streetlight through a window . One room to do this is to keep the plant in a basement or obscure room with agrow light on a timer for eight weeks . Once buds have begun to set at the peak of the leaves , range the plant back in its usual spot .
With the right Christmas cactus care , these industrial plant " typically bloom in late October to winter ( around January ) , " says Palomares . " Throughout its flowering season , it will keep to set bud and blossom , but in January , it will begin to curve down until the following year . However , sometimes , you might see bud appear now again . "
Types of Christmas Cactus
Christmas Cactus
Schlumbergeraxbuckleyihas scallop leaf margin and helix of silky flowers that dangle from segmented stem , which resemble leaves . It is sometimes called zygocactus or holiday cactus . The unfeigned Christmas cactus normally does not bloom until mid - December ; many flora sell asChristmas cacti are actually Thanksgiving cacti .
‘Madame Butterfly’ Christmas Cactus
This rare variety ofSchlumbergerahas pick - color variegated leaf and magenta prime with livid centers .
Thanksgiving Cactus
Schlumbergera truncatablooms several weeks earlier than Christmas cactus . It has two to four pointed tooth along the margins of stem segments .
