Christmas Cactus
One of the more popular flowering plants around the holidays is the Schlumbergera bridgesii better known as the Christmas cactus. It offers a profusion of tubular flowers that bloom for two to four weeks around Christmas time.
This jungle cactus is an epiphyte lives on trees and is different from the desert cactus in that it is the trailing type and does not require direct sunlight.
Which type of Schlumbergera you have?
Christmas cactus has flattened leaves with scallop-edged margins that are smooth and spineless with tubular 3 inch flowers.
Thanksgiving cactus (Zygocactus truncates)(S. truncatus) crab cactus, which has sharply toothed edges with two large teeth at the end of the last joint on each branch and shorter tubular flowers with spreading pointed petals.
Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri) grows more upright, has fibrous hairs at the joints and produces different flowers. It is the more difficult to grow. All bloom close to their respective holidays under normal growing conditions.
Christmas cactus care
Not only are these cacti so popular because of their spectacular blooming habit but also because they are relatively easy to care for. They require a rich, well drained soil, bright indirect light and a daytime temperature of 70 degrees and night temperature of 60-65. Feed it with a balanced houseplant fertilizer between April and October.
Christmas cactus is not drought tolerant. Water the plants thoroughly and let them dry out between watering. The leaves will wrinkle if the soil is too dry or when over watered which can lead to root rot. Water less in the winter.
Bloom care
When the flower buds begin to show, place the plant in bright light and temperatures (60-70F). The plant will no longer require long nights and cooler temperatures. Once the flower buds are formed, try not to move the plant to a different location as it may cause the buds to drop.
Keep the blooming plant moderately moist (not too wet). If the leaves get limp and flabby you may be overwatering. Too much light can fade the flowers. Do not expose them to direct heat, cold drafts. Fertilize lightly with a high potassium fertilizer when the buds form and continue until the flowers fade.
When the plant is finished blooming withhold water for 6 weeks allowing it to rest. After bloom or in spring/summer, prune the plant by pinching off sections at the joints to promote branching. Pruned sections can be easily rooted. In early spring, when new growth starts to show, resume feeding and watering. Move the plant outdoors in a shady spot for the summer.
Give your Christmas cactus a little love and care and it will flourish for years. Some do so well that they have been known to be passed down in families for generations.
The stem cuttings can be rooted in potting soil mix and started as new plants.
as a true Christmas cactus but a different species, has leaves with curved, pointed “teeth,” whereas the Christmas cactus has rounder leaves.
Help! My Xmas cactus is 40 yrs old, never been transplanted, and has only bloomed once! It grows new leaves and some die at times too, requires a lot of water, goes limp once a week after watering!
Do I dare transplant? What does it need? It sits in same spot I house all the time too. I cannot lose this, it was given to me and means so much to me! Help please!
Hi. I have a CC that I’ve had for years. I noticed my mother in law puts hers outside so I tried it. It was direct sweltering sun, thinking it was a cactus, would thrive. Much to my chagrin, most of the plant turned brown with many leaves shriveling and falling off. I stuck many back into the soil but am afraid to water or fertilize. I fertilized for the first time earlier this year with foam cactus fertilizer. Should I let it be or water and fertilize? Help! Mary
I have a Christmas cactus that seems to have root rot. Leaves are wilted but it is flowering profusely. Should I wait to repot it after its done flowering or can I do it now. I’m afraid it’s going to die if I wait much longer.
Hi,
I have a CC getting back to it’s healthy point. Anyways I had a piece brake off, so I have stuck it into a cup of water. It is rooting now but there are these brownish liquid (sticky) spots on the cup (not on the plant) What would this be and is it normal?
Hi, I have two schlumbergera – sol brazil and novembre brasil. when I got them they were in flower last November. They seem to have really tiny buds now. How do I tell the difference between new leaf growth and flower buds?
I have a Thanksgiving cactus that is about 25 years old. This last two months, for the first time, white powdery build up is forming at every joint. I’ve tried putting it in the sink and rinsing it but that does nothing. It has bloomed faithfully, usually two bloom sessions for many years. I have not moved it, I have not changed the once-a-week watering.
Any suggestions for the white powdery stuff at the joints? Thank you!
I just got a Christmas cactus and ive fertilized some of the flowers by hand. the base that’s originally green is now turning pink with a little bit of tan mixed in. Does that mean ive succeded? And from the same flowers theres a sort of pink vein going down the leaf its on. What does that mean?
My large Christmas cactus was left in a cold, unheated room for approximately 8 weeks. When we returned home, It was weighed down with hundred of blooms and the leaves have all gone to a green/brown color. I have taken it into a heated room but wonder if there is something else I should do.
Propagate from cuttings
You mention often to replant sections of fallen pieces, or some pinched from plant. Do you just put the piece in dirt or do you put in glass of water for rooting? Thanks.
Some of my Christmas Cacti have leaves with brown edges which eventually fall off. Is this from overwatering? Root rot? Or some other disease?
thanks.
Hi Jennifer,
I have a 12 year old Easter Cactus. As strange as this may sound, it blooms 4-5 “major” times a year, but always tends to have continuous flowers at all times (there are a dozen flowers which have just dropped this week).
Where the blooms once were, new growth is generated. I find that when the new leaves emerge, they begin as purplish-pink tinged. As the leaves grow larger, they change to light leaf green, then darken to a mature deep green. I don’t think it necessarily has anything to do with fertilizing. Hope this helps.
Sue
Hi I have a Christmas Cactus that I purchased whilst in bloom last winter. Recently it has become limp and almost burgundy in colour but has sprouted extra segments recently. I moved it into the bathroom for the humidity and It sprouted roots from most of the segment joins. What should I do? It is no longer in the bathroom and I tend to let it dry out a little before standing in water for a couple of mins (rather than pouring it on). Someone told me to pull the root sprouts off, should I do this? Thanks!
Fertilize Christmas cactus
I have a newly bought baby christmas cactus that I put in a planter. It looks like it was grown from cuttings. The old leaves look fine and healthy but the new growth is very pale with pink tints especially around the edges. I am fertilizing with an african violet liquid fertilizer when I water it which is about twice a week (the directions say to use daily but that is overwatering). It’s an 8-14-9 liquid. I also have regular old Miracle-gro (24-8-16) “all purpose”, but have not been using it on the CC. What am I doing wrong? Should I switch to the Miracle-gro?
Also, I am not sure if it’s a Christmas cactus or one of the other varieties…it does have spiny hairs at the leaf joints and I read somewhere that that means it’s one of the others. Is that true?
I have a 7 year old christmas cactus that is the same size as it was 7 years ago. It does bloom but very few blossoms. Some buds just fail to form and harden up. I have repotted it once about 5 years ago. How can I encourage this thing to grow?
Forgot plant outside
Hello, I have a pretty embarrassing question. I have had my CC for about 6 years. It has always been in the same pot. While cleaning on a warm spring day I placed my CC outside on my deck for some sun.. And forgot about it for several days. It gets worse. It got cold and SNOWED on my poor cactus. I finally rembered and brought t in.. It is horrible. Everything is mushy and wet and a lot of the stems have turned yellow, mostly the top layer. Some are still green. Is there any hope? It has been inside and ‘drying’ for a week or so. It isnt as mushy, but still limp. Please help!
Hi. I have a very old and huge Christmas cactus. It has been pot bound to the extreme for two years now and time to get it repotted.
It is living in a container that is 13″ wide and about the same tall.
I want to put it in a container that is 19″ wide but only 7 ” tall. Does it have a chance in such a container?
Thank you
Christmas cactus fruit
you did not reply about the fruit on the christmas cactus, it appears to be a epiphyllum cross as they too bear fruit like the dragon fruit, prickly and like the kiwi inside
See comments under propagate Christmas cactus re: cactus fruit.
If you ‘fertilize’ the flowers yourself and / or mix crosses, these plants make fruit. These fruit can take quite a while to ripen though (12-15 months). Wait for it to ripen and then you can squeeze the seeds out and grow plants from seeds. Best of luck!
I’m planning on fertilizing my plants blooms this Fall also. If possible, a pink NOID plant and the Samba Brazil cultivar. It will be interesting to see what color they make.
Do Christmas Cactus flower on new growth or branches that have no new growth?
Cold damage
my mom has a christmas cactus, which has great sentimental value to her. but while i was cleaning i left the cactus outside, in winter. brought it back in, in the morning and sadly it’s limp. what can i do to rescue it?
My leaves are getting thin and weak. Its blooming but I’m afraid its going to die. This summer they were thick and really healthy looking. What do I need to do?
Easter cactus
My mother used to grow Christmas Cactus that round leaves, not ones that are pointed. Is this a different species of cactus. They seem imposible to find.
Many of my cactus’ leaves are shriveling up and then fallng off. The cactus was repotted and then kept outside this summer until it got too hot. I have never had this problem before. I’m not sure if I am over watering, underwatering or what. The soil seems dry now and the bases of the plant stems are not mushy. There are a bunch of new growth shoots coming out, but a couple of leaves with shoots are now shriveling up as well. Help please!!!
Wilted, limp leaves
Hi, I have unfortunately overwatered my Christmas Cactus. The leaves are wilted and limp, but still green. I am letting the soil dry out, but was wondering what to do with the wilted leaves? Should I prune them back or just leave them as is with hopes that they will plump up again?
Thank you!
Stunted growth
I have a christmas cactus that I got as a gift from my daughter when she was in kindergarten back in 1996. In all the years I have had it, It has not grown much. It seems to be stunted. I really want to save this plant. It has been barely hanging on for years. I live in Alaska and usually have it on my kitchen counter. Please help with any suggestions to give it a boost of life. And if I’m lucky a little growth 🙂
Thank You
I’d also fertilize with a good, balanced fertilizer. Just be sure to dilute it to about 1/4 strength. I’m sure Alaska isn’t exactly warm and sunny, so a weak grow light might be a good idea. After these plants bloom, they appreciate a good trim or ‘haircut’, just trim one cladode or phylloclade off all over the plant. This will stimulate growth and/or make for a fuller plant.
I have an issue with all 4 of my mature cacti. All are dramatially losing leaves. They previously flourished in the same locations for about 1.5 yrs. Now they seem to all be dying. I have tried different watering techniques (tried on the different plants separately). Nothing seems to work. They have lost over half of their foilage. Any suggestions?
How do you root the fallen pieces??
Coaxing to bloom
I have had a Christmas cactus for several years, and while the plant looks “okay” it has never bloomed, except once at Easter. I keep it in the house to protect it. I have tried putting it in darkness for six weeks, but that hasn’t helped. How can I convince it to bloom?
Before repotting, I suggest a baby-steps approach. Begin with a new watering schedule. See how it responds. Then add a fertilizer and add a small amount of soil on top (if there is room in the pot for that). Once the plant is healthy, then transplant it. If you shock the plant too much, all at once, the results could be disastrous. Just moving the plant may prove to be a hardship for this unhappy plant. Good luck!
Repot Christmas cactus
I found a very old Christmas cactus at my local resale shop. The owner told me the cactus came in an estate sale and has been neglected. Perhaps no water for long perioids of time. also the soil has salt build up and altogether looks crappy. This is a fairly large plant. Should I venture to repot back into same pot with fresh soil ? The sections closest to the soil are like woody and then thin to the green sections about 2″ out begin. Ideas anyone ? I’d like to save this plant.
Repotting old Christmas cactus
My christmas cactus ( 50 years old plant just replanted a couple months ago) loses severals 2- 3 inch pieces – everyday I find new pieces the floor.
Longevity
I have a Christmas cactus in great health. I’ve had it about ten years and it came from a small cutting reputed to be in existence in one family since 1860. Do you think these plants can live 150 years?
I have had this cactus for quite some time. have moved to a new home. Put my cactus out on the lenai. It has grown and new growth but the stock and stems are suddenly covered with a white scale. What causes this never had before – ever. How can I ride myself of this? Should zi cut it back and destroy the old root nd start a new planting? ZPlease advise if you can. Thanking you in advance, I remain. Truly yours, ANN
Hi Ann
I’m not familiar with white scale. Could it be mealy bug?
Get a good insecticide. I really like Ronsenthal’s Zero tolerance and I believe it covers white scale. I believe you can also use rubbing alcohol but not certain. Best of luck!
My Christmas Cactus’ shoots are brown near the soil but green on the ends and a bit limp. What do I need to do?
If the shoots are soft then the plant has a stem rot.
my christmas cactus has made a fruit at the back of the flower and kinda looks like a prickly pear without the prickels,, since the CC is not a cactus is the fruit a fruit >
I have several Christmas cactus, and they recent have all developed the same symptoms – the buds form, but dry up and die before they are fully formed buds. The plants look healthy enough – and they DO bloom. But there may be 2 or 3 blooms, and the rest of the buds die.
I’ve got one that’s 20 years old and would hate to lose it! Help please!!
Hi Teri
What time of year does this happen?
Just found your website and enjoyed reading all the questions and answers. I’m wondering what type of container is best for growing my Thanksgiving/Christmas cactus. I have some pieces in a plastic pot and the leaves appear dark green and shiny. The other sections are in a clay pot and are paler and not shiny, but have produced some flowers this past season. I don’t water until the soil appears dry and have used a potting soil for cactus. I never fertilized them, but will do so this summer. I live in Louisiana and I’m not sure if it would help to put them outside during the summer. Thanks for your help.