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Christmas Cactus

47 Comments on Christmas Cactus»

1. need advise on how to start new ones
   from mine.
   How do you root a christmas Cactus?

   From the healthy plant, take a stem cutting of two to three joined segments.

   Allow them to dry out for a few hours to a day and plant in a 3″ pot in a soil mix of 50 peat and 50 sand or 70% perlite and 30%peat. Place in a plastic bag and keep moist (not wet) in a warm shaded spot. In 4-6 wks you should have new roots and there should be signs of new shoot growth. You can also try water rooting a clipping. Once the roots develop plant in a well drained potting soil mix. Cuttings root best when taken in spring and summer.

   Comment by M. Kinney — 6/4/2005 @ 12:48 pm

2. I have a Christmas Cactus that has gotten wood like on the stems. How can this be fixed? is my poor plant a gonner? Help I really like my plant

   The woody stems are part of aging. Your plants not a gonner, it will send off new shoots. ic: Christmas Cactus

   Comment by Nancy Topper — 6/7/2005 @ 6:12 am

3. My christmas cactus has wrinkled leaves.How do I know if it’s too dry or over watered???

   Christmas cactus (somewhat of a misnomer)is an ephiphyte-a tropical plant that likes to grow in humid jungles. It is not as tolerant of drought conditions as the typical desert cactus. It will wilt (wrinkle) under drought conditions. You are probably underwatering it. Water when the top 1inch of the soil feels dry. During the summer, water so that the soil is continuously moist but not wet. Let the water drain out from the bottom of the pot. Water less in the fall and winter.

   Comment by Janet — 8/5/2005 @ 4:06 am

4. My Christmas cactus, started from my grandmother’s, has been spectacular. 4 ft. stems with hundreds of blossoms twice per year like clockwork. But now the stems are dying at an alarming rate and few stems are longer than 18 in. I don’t know what is wrong. They start turning yellow green and purple and then die. HELP!

   Large older plants can get a stem rot that will cause part of the stem to die back. Make sure that the soil is still well drained and the water moves through it quickly-if not it may be time to repot. The plant may be pot bound and needs fresh new soil. When you repot wait one week before watering to allow any injured roots or stems to callus over preventing further diseases.

   Comment by Jan Reid — 9/9/2005 @ 9:50 am

5. Can I delay the blooming of my cactus by placing it in a dark closet. The buds have already formed. Am I too late?

   It is too late, once the buds have formed its too late. Bud formantion starts when days get shorter and nights are cooler. Many “Christmas Cactii” are really Thanksgiving cactii which bloom around Thanksgiving. It’s not easy to tell the difference. sse above article.

   Comment by Elizabeth Romeo — 10/30/2005 @ 9:24 am

6. I had read once that you shouldn’t water the Christmas cactus after October to force it to bloom. I have brought mine indoors from its “summer vacation” outdoors and have it in a room that is dark at least 12 hours per day and it is a cool room with minimal heat. But should I be watering it? The one looks ok but the other one looks to be wilting.

   Water just enough to keep it moist and then let it dry out and water again. Provide humidity during bud formation and keep it around 60 degrees at night and up to 75 during the day.

   Comment by Sheri Huigens — 11/4/2005 @ 11:19 am

7. HELP!!! My christmas cactus was full of buds and now after moving it inside the sections are dropping off. #-4 joint sections with clean breaks at the joints. Can this be from not enough light?

   It may be stress related-a change in the environment, too much water, dry heat can cause leaf drop. Keep it away from heating vents or cold drafts. Check the base of the stem to see if it is soft and “mushy” that can indicate a root rot, in which case only new cuttings will save the plant. If there is no root rot wait till spring, it may send out new shoots. Be sure not to overwater as they like it dry in the winter.

   Comment by Tesa Ivey — 12/3/2005 @ 5:10 pm

8. Hi, I have a Christmas cactus that has formed fruits, I’ve had it for ten years and this is the first time I have seen this. The plant was a clipping from a freinds that was passed down to her from several generations. Is the fruit edible?

   I don’t know if the fruit is edible. The attractive fruit is 1″ long and should remain on the plant for a year. After which, you can pick it and squeeze out the jelly of seeds and let them dry on a paper towel for a few days. Then you can plant the seeds in a seedling mix to produce new plants.

   Comment by Rick — 12/14/2005 @ 8:49 am

9. I am the new owner of an old Christmas cactus that will not bloom; thanks to you I have enough info to get started. Wish me luck.

   Comment by Virginia A Bergeron — 12/16/2005 @ 3:43 pm

10. Hello There,
    I have a Christmas cactus that can be seen here

    It has been looking like that for about a good 10 days, but now the petals seem to be getting soft. What I mean by this is that it looks like it is wilting. The soil is damp, but not soaked. It is in the dark from about 4:30pm to 4:30, 5:00am each day. The temperature never goes above 68 and at night it is about 65 plus the draft from the window which might bring it down to 64 during the night and 67 during the day.
    It is really a spectacular plant. I basically want to know how long the flowers should last? and what to do in order to keep them looking fresh, and hardy?
    Kind regards, Mynd

    Optimaly, the flowers can bloom continuosly up to a month in cooler temperatures. Keep the plant in a well-lit location and away from drafts and heating vents.

    Comment by Mynd — 12/19/2005 @ 5:32 am

11. We kept our Xmas cactus inside with direct light & no sun and it was doing nothing.Got discouraged and put it outside - it now gets indirect light and our temperatures are low 30’s at night & 50-6-’s in the day, & it is all of a sudden blooming like crazy. It started blooming in December and is still blooming. Is there anything different I should do or just leave it where it is at. Note, our summers get to over 100 degrees - is it still okay to leave it where it is at?

    Be careful so the it doesn’t get “nicked” by frost around 50’s at night is recommended but sounds like your plant is happy where it is. Protect it from the extreme heat in the summer by placing it in the shade.

    Comment by John Showers — 1/18/2006 @ 1:46 pm

12. Can a christmas cactus be planted in a self watering pot. I just bought one a couple of weeks ogo. the leaves are looking a little wilted in the self watering pot?

    Good question. They like it on the dry side during the winter and moist,well drained soil in the summer. Since they are a tropical epiphytes that hang under trees in the jungle, they would get their water briefly from the rain and then dry up. I would think a well-drained potting soil would be more suitable for your Christmas cactus.

    Comment by esther — 1/26/2006 @ 10:04 am

13. My Christmas Catcus has bloomed every year since I have had it but it does not look healthy because the leaves have turned reddish. Is there some way to correct this or should I just not worry?

    Leaves that are turning pinkish/red and are wilted can be a sign of rot. Carefully, knock the plant out of the pot and check the base of the stems. Are they soft and mushy? If so, there is some rot there. Cut the decay back to healthy firm tissue and repot. Keep it on the dry side during the winter.

    Comment by Sylvia Saunders — 3/2/2006 @ 6:46 am

14. My christmas cactus is heathy looking and still blooms. I have been getting these purplish blister/bumps on the leaves lately, and then they scab up when they age. What is this? A bug I hope not… Help!!!

    It’s possible that you may be watering too much. The bumps which eventually turn into a brown corky growth may be a sign of edema which is caused by excess watering. Keep it on the dry side and be sure it has adequate drainage.

    Comment by Lucille Rudnicki — 3/8/2006 @ 7:40 pm

15. I rescued a christmas cactus about 4 years ago. I had no idea how to care for it and I am still having problems with it. I have my house temp set around 65F all day long. The plant is sitting in indirect sunlight on the south side of the house. It gets watered only when it’s soil is very dry. 4-5 months ago one of my cats tipped it off the shelf and fell 4-5 ft to the floor. 2-3 segements were broken off close to the roots and now from those spots there is 2-3 in of new growth starting. I am really happy about this but I just can’t seem to get this plant to bloom no matter what I do. I have also subjected it to closet life for weeks and let it dry out too. What can I do?

    The major factor in getting a Christmas cactus to bloom is cool temperatures and long nights. They bloom when the days get shorter and nights longer. The temps for flower bud is 55-60 for 6 wks.. In higher temperatures, they can be coaxed to blooming with 13 hrs. of uninterrupted darkness. Its best to have a combination of both. Set the plant outdoor in a shady area over the summer and bring it in the fall as the weather gets cooler and days are shorter. It should work.

    Comment by Emily Olson — 4/2/2006 @ 11:40 am

16. how do i transplant chrismas catus

    Carefully, knock out the root ball from the pot and re-pot in a porous soil mix by adding 1 part peat moss or sand to 3 parts potting soil mix. You can also use potting mix for succulent plants. The new pot should be 1 inch larger with a drainage hole.

    Comment by sherry — 4/10/2006 @ 8:33 am

17. When is the best time to re-pot a Christmas Cactus. Mine, I think, is getting
    a little too big for it’s pot. I live in the desert and it loves its spot in indirect light and blooms like mad for months.

    Best time to repot is in the spring when the plant is ready to grow again or after blooming. Repotting in the fall may disrupt the blooming cycle due to the stress produced by repotting.

    Comment by Marcee — 10/2/2006 @ 1:48 am

18. Hi - thank goodness someone seems to be a Christmas Cactus expert. I too have one of sentimental value. It is about 10 years old - has been repotted a few times over the years. Always been indoors. This summer, I put outside under a porch umbrella. After a month or two, I noticed the ends very flat and starting to turn purple. I repotted - brought back indoors to it’s regular spot and clipped off some of the purple brackets. Now more are purple/green and it doesn’t seem to be firming up. Tell me what I need to do and what I did wrong.

    The purple leaves sound like a mineral deficiency. It may need a fertilizer that supplies both major nutrients as well as trace minerals. Fall is the time of year when you cut back on fertilizing but in your case, I would give it one light dose 1/4 strenght of a well-balanced soluble fertilizer to satiate this hungry plant. After blooming, let it go dormant (no fertilizer) and start feeding monthly with 1/4 strength fertilizer when new growth starts in the early spring continuing through early fall.

    Comment by Darlene — 11/4/2006 @ 4:43 pm

19. How long should a christmas cactus be kept in the dark to help it bloom? I have it in a totally dark closet where it is cool. Its been in the closet about a month and a half. I don’t take it out of the closet at all.

    Hi Nancy
    Christmas cactus need about 14 hrs of darkness and cooler temperatures. The stimulus that makes them bloom is short days and long nights. They still need filtered sunlight during the day, so you really do need to bring your plant out of the closet during the day.

    Comment by Nancy Bork — 11/6/2006 @ 2:40 pm

20. I have a Christmas Cactus that I divided some of the stem into other pots to make more plants. They all seem to be fading. and not growing at all. I planted them in the Cactus soil. I only water themwhen they feel dry. What could be the problem why thery’re looking like thery’re not growing?

    When were they divided? In the fall? Did they have a root system? It is better to divide the plant in early spring just before it goes on a growth spurt. Your plants need time to establish a good roots and winter is a slow growing period. In fact the plant goes into a dormant period as late as March. During the winter keep them on the cool and dry side, away from heat vents or cold drafts. In early spring start to feed with 1/4 strength fertilizer.

    Comment by Michele Calvin — 11/8/2006 @ 7:27 am

21. I started a cuting from a yellow Christmas cactus. It has done well and now the blooms are coming in pink. Where did the yellow go

    According to Uof I ext.Light and temperature can affect the color of the blooms. Cooler temperatures can enhance the color.

    Comment by Hugh Landes — 11/21/2006 @ 7:15 am

22. Are these plants safe if pets or small children eat them?

    Christmas cactus are listed as non-toxic or having a low toxicity level when ingested in small quantities. If large quantities are eaten then it can cause vomiting, diarrhea and mental depression.

    Comment by P Rutland — 11/26/2006 @ 3:17 pm

23. My christmas cactus is in full bud…how long do these buds take to burst open for a full bloom? It seems like I have seen these buds with color peaking out for 2 weeks…I’m anxious for the full bloom!
    Thanks, Eileen

    What sometimes happens is that the buds form but for some reason, usually environmental, will sit there dry up or drop and not open. This can happen when the room is too dry (low humidity) and temperatures are too high. To add more humidity around the plant put it in a pebble tray of water and mist the plant. Keep the room temperatures around 65-70 F. Keep away from heating vents or cold drafts. Once they set bud the plant does not like to be moved.

    Comment by Eileen Haag — 12/3/2006 @ 9:46 am

24. I had my cactus on my front porch and I was away visiting a sick friend in the hospital I had told my husband to bring it inside because there was going to be a cool snap. When I got home it was 21 degrees and he had forgot my cactus, it now has got real droopy and looks dark green I suppose it froze is there anything I can do to save it. It was in full bloom.

    Sorry to hear that. Nothing you can do. If the leaves get soft and mushy then they were frozen.

    Comment by Cynthia Clark — 12/5/2006 @ 1:35 pm

25. My Christmas Cactus was started by my mother to me as a wedding gift over 28 years ago. It has developed a white substance at every joint and looks very unhappy. Can I save it? It is also spreading to other cactus.

    Sounds as if you might have an insect problem. Is the white stuff fluffy and cottony looking? If so, you may have mealy bugs. Look the the mealy bug article.

    Comment by Alice Cunningham — 12/18/2006 @ 8:16 am

26. I have a very huge old (10 years?) Christmas Cactus that has had something eating SLOWLY at a few select leaves. I’ve tried a number of insecticides without success. It now has white flies I can’t get rid of. It appears to be loosing leaves and did not bloom this year. I replant it regularly as necessary. HELP! I love this plant

    Is your Christmas cactus outdoors? Whiteflies are difficult insect to get rid of indoors. A safe method is to hang yellow or blue sticky cards on the plant or on stakes to attract and trap the adult population of whiteflies. The sticky cards are available at garden centers. Be sure not to touch it or get it on your clothes. As for the rest of the younger population, spray the plant and soil surface with horticultural oil. Repeat treatment in 7-10 days until you no longer see the insect. Whitefly will spread from plant to plant therefore you should isolate the infested plant. I had deer eat my whole plant leaving only stubs.

    Comment by Karen Fournier — 1/2/2007 @ 11:46 am

27. I’m wondering if it is possible to save our 2 christmas cactus over the summer (mid May
    to mid Nov) with no one here. We live in a condo with a lania facing SE in Bonita Springs FL during the winter.
    My concept is to set up an automatic watering system and keep them on the lania facing
    the sun but with a shade that moderates the amount of direct sun. They would otherwise be
    unattended. The temperatures would probably reach low 90’s during the day and the
    humidity would be high.
    If feasible, about how much water would they require and how often? Thanks for any help
    you can provide. Lee

    Hi Lee
    Christmas cactus are a jungle plants that like warm, humid,semi- shaded areas. It would be difficult for your plants to survive on the lanai all alone with no one to care for them. They need protection from the hot midday sun, need to be fertilized when actively growing and most of all, need proper watering. You cannot make a plant adapt to your watering schedule - just as we drink when thirsty so do plants. There are too many variables to consider ; Christmas cactus likes evenly moist soil, but needs to dry out between waterings. If you have a humid, rainy week, then it will not require as much water than a hot, sunny week. My suggestion is to find a friend who would be kind enough to care for your plants or take them with you. If that is not feasable, look into local greenhouses and see if they will “plantsit” your cactus for a nominal charge.

    Comment by Elmer L Johnson — 1/6/2007 @ 2:33 pm

28. Several days ago my Christmas Cactus got left on the porch and was exposed to temps in the low 30s. It is usually kepy between 50-60 degrees. Over the last several days, the smaller leaves and some of the newer growth has begun to wilt. Some of the leaves look ok. Is there a chance for the rest of the plant, or will the wilting spread? Is there anything I can do for the parts that still appear healty?

    New growth is more susceptible to cold damage than mature growth. If the new growth hasn’t recovered or perked up by spring time, cut back the spindly growth (up to two segments) which will encourage your plant to send out new growth and make a fuller plant. Because the leaves are wilted you may have a tendency to water but be sure to keep the plant on the dry side during its dormant period (6weeks from blooming) otherwise you can cause root rot problems.

    Comment by Rachel — 1/12/2007 @ 8:48 pm

29. We have an easter cactus that has developed a tan coating on the bottom section of each branch. It doesn’t look woody, and it doesn’t look like the pictures we have seen of edema. We have not seen any bugs either. (It has lost some branches lately too, but we changed our watering schedule and that has seemed to help as far as branches falling off.) What could this tan near the base be? Is there something we need to do about it?

    Check the tan area and see if the stem is still firm, not soft and spongy. If the plant is healthy and firm then it is just maturing tissue, if the plant has soft stems and looks sickly then you may have a fungal canker, fusarium stem rot or fusarium crown rot which shows decayed, brown dried tissue in the lower trunk which will eventually kill the plant. All caused by too much moisture. If your plant keeps declining take some cuttings of the healthy parts and start new plants. Watch the watering keep it on the dry side in the winter.

    Comment by Alfie and Maria — 1/28/2007 @ 4:31 pm

30. I recieved a part of my husbands Great Grandmother’s Christmas Cactus. His mother told me that she has not been able to get it to bloom for the past couple of years. Every since I recieved my part of the cactus I cannot get it to grow. At first she had it potted in a huge pot, I was told to repot into a smaller pot. I did and I still cannot get the plant to grow. It now has a woody look to the steam area. I have read that you’re supposed to have sand or moss in the mixture. I never did that. I have had this plant for almost 2 years. I am afarid that it’s going to be to late for it. Can I still save it? What can I do to get it to grow and bloom?!

    The type of soil it needs is 50% peat and 50% sand or any well drained standard mix soil with 25% peat or sand added to the soil mix. If it drains freely then it should be ok. Most problems that arise with Christmas cactus are from overwatering. Keep the plant on the dry side and cool thru the winter away from direct sun and heating vents as it is in a semi-dormant stage. It should show some signs of growth in the spring, when it does give it a light dose of a balanced fertilizer once a month during the growing season. If you want to repot do it in the spring. You can also take a few cuttings and root them to make new plants. The woody stem can be maturing tissue or fungal canker from too much moisture. If the plant doesn’t show signs of new growth then there may be root rot damage and you may want to take stem cuttings. See the article above for blooming

    Comment by Julie — 1/30/2007 @ 12:29 pm

31. My Dad gave me my Christmas Cactus, which, as he has now passed away, I am very reluctant to lose. However, it seems to be slowly dying. It has three stems from the soil, one of which is hollow and has no leaves(which is obv dead - can this harm the other two?) The other two stems seem to be brown from just above the soil line and it hasnt grown any new leaves for ages. I re-potted it about 2 weeks ago, and although the end leaves look to be slightly healthier, there doesnt seem to be much improvement overall. Each stem only has a few leaves on. I think the best thing to do is to try and repot from the remaining green leaves, but am scared incase they dont root and Iwill have lost the whole plant. Can I take one leaf off and pot that? How many leaves consists of a segment? Sorry for sounding daft, I just dont want to lose it. How long does the leaf/segment need to be dried for before attempting repotting? Your help with this would be VERY much appreciated. Thank you x

    Cathy
    You will need to take a stem cutting..for direction See the first question on this page.

    Comment by Cathy Bellew — 4/13/2007 @ 4:33 am

32. Ok, I have a christmas cactus that i started from a cutting in a botany class about 2 years ago. It has been doing great until about a week ago. I noticed the leaves were limp and saw that i had let it get too dry. So i gave it a good drink of water and thought everything would be ok. Since then the leaves of the plant have gotten little, round wholes in them, i can see straight through them. Also some of the new growth is malformed and have dark green sutures running through it. I don’t know if it is due to the lack of water or the use of insectiside soap and systemic inseticiedes that i used independtly about 3 weeks ago on it. I also want to mention that i put in a fertilizer spike in the plant. I asked my botany professor if that would be ok and he said yes because the fertilizer would only be released when it was watered, but i was a little skeptical of the idea. After reading this page today i also repotted the plant since it was getting a little big but i am sure the wholes in the leaves have nothing to do with that since i just did that today. Please help me out!! Thank ya.

    Not sure what the see thru holes are caused by -perhaps some kind of insect? Christmas cactus can get an environmental condition called edema which happens when the plant is overwatered. The water moves rapidly up to the leaves but the plant can’t transpire it fast enough causing the cells to burst. These broken cells heal over and develop corky brown spots. I don’t think insecticidal soap would cause a problem but the systemic might, especially if it was not recommended for christmas cactus. The fertilizer spike is a slow release way to feed the plant and should not cause any adverse affects. Keep the plant slightly moist during the summer and dryer in the winter.

    Comment by Bethany — 5/2/2007 @ 6:39 pm

33. Okay, I think I have just dealt my Christams Cactus the felling blow. It was hanging in my kitchen window (it’s a small one) and I thought it looked peaked with wrinkled leaves, so I replanted it in a bigger pot and put it on the patio, limited sun, mostly shade. I am pretty certain the soil I used wasn’t the best, as I think back, but it was what I had, and as a result, the soil didn’t drain right causing an over watered, still wrinkled plant. It is still green, but very limp. My plan is to get a good potting soil and mix it with some sand, and repot. Is this a correct path, , or should I simply cut it back and try to root the cuttings? I think I’m killing it with too much kindness!

    Yes, you are on the right path. The soil should be well-drained. You can even mix peat moss into the soil, sand will also work. After re-potting place it in a shaded spot keep it slightly moist, not dryand don’t overwater. It may take a few weeks for your plant to respond. Christmas cactus like to be root bound before flowering so don’t plant it in to large of a container.

    Comment by Mary Stoops — 7/12/2007 @ 7:41 am

34. I have an old (20+ years) Christmas cactus. It is large, 3 foot diameter, and has woody stems and is very full. It has been happy, growing and flowering well. I usually put it outside in the rain once in the summer so the leaves can get cleaned from dust and dirt. I put it out this summer and about 2 weeks later the leaves started to fall off in huge sections. It had not been repotted in 10 years, so I repotted it in the recommened soil into a larger pot. It was extremely root bound. It seems happier in the new pot but it is still loosing leaves. The leaves appear green and healthy. I am afraid I will end up with woody stems and no green leaves. Is this just stress or is my cactus just old and dying?

    It’s more likely to be stress. It’s possible that your cactus had too much water. Hopefully it doesn’t have root rot which can also cause huge sections to fall off. Check at the base of the wooody stems, if they are soft and mushy then you have root rot if not then let your plant recover on its own. Take the cuttings(fallen leaves) and root then for new plants.

    Comment by Elaine Granica — 8/30/2007 @ 7:05 am

35. will it be ok to take cuttings now (Sept) from my Christmas catcus to start a new plant, or will it interfere with the blooming process?

    Unless you have some broken off stems, taking cuttings at this time (Sept) will interfere with the blooming process. With cooler weather and shorter days, the plant should be starting to set buds. It is best to take cuttings after blooming.

    Comment by paula — 9/1/2007 @ 9:00 am

36. do you have a picture of a leaf cutting, so I would know how to do it properly?

    See leaf cutting

    Comment by roberta schaffer — 10/20/2007 @ 8:28 pm

37. I have a white Christmas Cactus that is a light green/yellowish color. The plant seems to be healthy and strong. I am wondering if it was out in direct sun too long and got bleached? How can I correct this. I have placed it in the back of my apartment (well shaded patio) and it seems to be less light. It has blooms and everything.

    On some varieties the leaves are a little lighter especially the white/pink colors. Place it in a shaded area (like you did) and it should green up a bit. Fertilize in early spring after the plant is done resting (dormant), that may also help.

    Comment by Robin — 12/5/2007 @ 7:27 pm

38. When the flower of a Christmas cacuts begins to wilt, should you snap it off, or leave it be? Will it fall off by itself?

    You can snap or twist it off, but if you don’t it will eventually dry up and fall off by itself.

    Comment by Catherine — 12/11/2007 @ 2:50 pm

39. Was curious how you can pollinate a flower to so that you can produce seeds.

    Yes, you can pollinate the flower when it starts to bloom and is producing pollen. Take a small brush and transfer the pollen to the pistil(in the center) of the flower. You will know if fertilization took place when the base of the flower starts to swell and form a pod. The pod will mature into a bright pink color 1/2″ long with dark brown to black seeds inside. Some hybrids are sterile.

    Comment by Robin — 12/13/2007 @ 3:53 pm

40. I inherited my mother in laws cactus plant 3 years ago. A piece fell off about two years ago and I rerooted it, later another piece fell off and I rerooted that one. The original one has red blooms and the other two , one has white blooms and the other has pink blooms. They are both from the red one. All are doing beautiful. My question is, why did the other two bloom a white and a pink?
    Sincerely, Brenda Southall

    Sometimes a plant will send out a sport (mutation), which will produce a different leaf or flower color. A change in flower color can also be caused by growing temperatures, amount of light, nutrients.

    Comment by Brenda Southall — 1/9/2008 @ 12:14 pm

41. A friend of mine is giving me a 30 year old Christmas catus, it was her mother’s, who passed away three months ago. She said she doesn’t know if it has had much care since her mother’s death. I need to know how to bounce it back if it is is poor condition. I hope you can help me help it to survive. I would appreciate your comment in e-mail if possible. Thank you.

    I’m not sure what the problem is. Christmas cactus should be kept cool and slightly dry in the winter. They will sulk a bit but by spring time should perk up again.

    Comment by Cheryl Meyer — 1/12/2008 @ 2:01 pm

42. I have light purplish-red growth on my Christmas Cactus. I have repotted it and checked the roots for root rot - Everything checked out ok. The plant seems healthy and bloomed like crazy this past season. I am wondering if it might be due to too much or lack of insufficient light.

    A Christmas cactus will develop reddish leaves when it gets too much sun. The purplish color on the leaves can be a sign of a nutrient deficiency such as phosphorous or manganese. When the plant shows signs of new growth, feed your plant with a balanced fertilizer that includes minor elements.

    Comment by Robin — 3/4/2008 @ 1:06 pm

43. some of The leaves on my Cactus have turned a almost white color and get very limp. It got buds but they did not bloom just fell off. Hope you can help me.
    Thanks

    If the leaves are chlorotic (whitening) in the center of the plant - it may be due to low soil temperatures during the fall and winter.

    Comment by Johnna — 3/24/2008 @ 8:16 am

44. I think my dog killed my Christmas cactus.
    I came home one day to find my 2 year young cactus all over my living room. My dog pulled it out if the window, broke the pot and chewed up or ate what she could of my poor cactus.
    I found two small pieces with roots still attached and re potted them immediately.
    Now the pieces are shriveling up and turning black on the edges. I my cactus worth saving or should I let it go?

    That little rascal! Put the surviving cactus in a protected semi shaded area outdoors or indoor filtered light. Water when needed and if it shows new signs of growth give it a light dose of fertilizer. Don’t keep it too wet. If at the end of summer you don’t see any improvement, then toss it.

    Comment by Brittany — 5/17/2008 @ 7:04 pm

45. I have my grandmother’s Christmas Catus. It is 50+ years old. I’ve had it for about 3 years - it has neither flowered or shown any growth. This Spring I put it outside for the first time - the leaves turned yellow and branches fell off. I believe that was from too much sun. I moved the plant into my screened in porch - repotted it and now it’s “stable” but not doing anything. What’s left is very woody branches about 6-8 inches long. It used to be huge. Is there anyway to save this plant - it means so much to me.

    Hi Barbara
    Check the woody branches - are the soft and spongy? If they are firm, then its mature stems that developed over time. Since you’ve had it for 3 yrs and it hasn’t shown any growth, then I suspect there is a root rot or dieback problem caused by either a bacteria or fungus. These can develop from keeping the plant to moist. If the stems are soft, dig up a section, check the roots. They may be dark , mushy and very sparse. There is no cure so try to save part of the plant by propagating it. Cut above the rotting portion to be sure all decay is removed and try to re-root the section to start a new plant. You can also cut off leaf (cladophylls) sections and re-root them. Plant the newly rooted segments in sterile soil. I wish I had better news for you.

    Comment by Barbara — 6/25/2008 @ 7:25 am

46. We can’t remember how many years ago we re-potted our huge 50+ yr old Christmas Cactus. It looks a little limp. It is already in a large pot and we would prefer not to go larger as it is already a challenge to move inside or out as the seasons change.
    Do you have any pruning advice or advice that would help prevent the plant from getting root bound in it’s current size pot? Can you prune roots? Would you control the branch length by pruning them by say half their length?
    Thanks for your advice!
    Laura

    HI Laura
    You can prune off some of the new growth up to two segments. It’s best to do this after bloom in spring . Root pruning is a more drastic measure and with a 50+ yr old plant can be risky. Try topdressing-this is a process of removing the top 1 or 2 inches of surface soil and replacing it with a fresh light soil mix.

    Comment by Laura — 6/25/2008 @ 9:55 am

47. It appears I have a unique issue with my Christmas cactus. It has roots growing from each “joint” between sections all the way up the leaf branches. There are no distinguished “stems". The leaves have become even more purple than they were. I just purchased the plant this year so it’s young, I potted it with potting soil, however the pot may have been too small. I put mulch in the bottom for drainage. I just re-potted now. The soil was very loose and damp, not soggy. There didn’t seem to be any roots to this plant under the soil. They didn’t appear to be overcrowded at all. Very odd, it’s almost as if I planted this plant upside down!

    Hi Maxie
    Christmas cactus will send out rootlets between the leaf branches. These can be cut off and propagated for new plants. Purple leaves can be a sign of a trace mineral deficiency but it also sounds as if the roots were not growing well.-probably some root rot going on. So you did good by transplanting it into new soil. The new fresh well-drained soil should help with the trace mineral problem and the plant should root better. Be sure not to overwater the plant.

    Comment by Maxie X — 7/4/2008 @ 9:18 am

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