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How To Care For a Christmas Cactus, Thanksgiving Cactus, or Easter Cactus

Christmas Cactus Flower in a terracotta pot on a table
Photo Credit
Boryana Manzurova/Shutterstock
Botanical Name
Schlumbergera spp.
Plant Type
Cacti/Succulents
Sun Exposure
Part Sun
Bloom Time
Spring
Fall
Winter
Flower Color
Pink
Purple
Red
White
Hardiness Zone
10
11

Growing Christmas Cactus Plants: Watering, Light, Propagation, and More!

Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

The Christmas cactus brings cheerful winter blooms just when we need them most. With its dazzling pink and lilac flowers, this tropical beauty thrives indoors during the chill of winter. Whether you’re looking to keep yours blooming bright or share its charm by propagating new plants, this festive succulent is a gift that keeps on giving!

About Christmas Cacti

The Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi) is a popular houseplant that blooms indoors in the winter, so it’s popular at holiday time and makes a great gift, too. Unlike regular cacti, however, this is not a plant from a dry, hot desert location. Instead, this is a succulent native to tropical rainforests, where they grow on tree branches and soak up the high humidity, dappled sunlight, and warm temperatures.

The bottom line: Don’t treat a Christmas cactus like a run-of-the-mill cactus! It’s important to water these cacti regularly, but also to be cautious of keeping them too wet. (See detailed care instructions below.)

Holiday Cactus Types

There are three main types of “holiday” cacti out there: the Easter cactus (S. gaertneri), the Thanksgiving cactus (S. truncata), and the Christmas cactus (S. x buckleyi). For simplicity’s sake, we refer to all three species as “Christmas cactus” on this page since the care is the same. See our article on the different types of holiday cacti and how to tell them apart.

Christmas cactus infographic

Read Next

Planting

Potting Christmas Cacti

  • When selecting a pot for a Christmas cactus, be sure to choose one that has a drainage hole in the bottom. This helps to keep the soil from getting too wet.
  • Christmas cacti grow well in most potting mixes formulated for succulents. The important thing is that your potting soil drains well.

Where to Put a Christmas Cactus

  • Plants should be kept in bright, indirect light. An east-facing window or a bright bathroom is ideal. Too much direct sunlight can bleach the sensitive leaves.
  • A daytime temperature of 70°F (21°C) and an evening temperature of 60°–65°F (15°–18°C) is preferred.
  • Christmas cacti prefer a more humid environment, which makes a bright bathroom or kitchen a good spot to keep them.
  • In the summer, Christmas cacti can be placed in a shady spot in the garden or on an unheated porch until temperatures get below 50°F (10°C). Keep them out of direct outdoor sunlight.

Growing

How to Care for Christmas Cacti

  • Prune plants in late spring to encourage branching and more flowers. Simply cut off a few sections of each stem; the plant will branch from the wound.
    • If you wish, place the cut pieces in a lightly moist potting soil—they root easily after a few weeks and make for excellent Christmas presents!

Christmas cactus in a window with buds

How to Get Your Christmas Cactus to Bloom

The blooms of Christmas cacti and its relatives are triggered by the cooler temperatures and longer fall nights. The three main types of holiday cacti generally bloom according to this schedule:

  • Thanksgiving cacti are the earliest and longest bloomers, typically producing flowers from late fall through midwinter.
  • Christmas cacti tend to bloom from early to midwinter.
  • Easter cacti bloom from late winter to mid-spring.

If your cactus is NOT blooming, it may be receiving too much light or living in conditions where the temperatures are too high. Here are some tips to encourage yours to produce flowers!

  • To trigger blooming, nights need to be at least 14 hours long and days between 8 and 10 hours for at least 6 weeks. If you have strong indoor lighting that’s on at night, you may need to cover your cactus or move it to an area that’s exposed to the natural light cycle.
  • Flower buds form best when the plant is kept in temperatures between 50° and 60°F (10° and 15°C).
    • You can kickstart the budding process by exposing the plant to temperatures of about 45°F (7°C) for several nights in a row.
  • Make sure that you are consistent with watering while the plant is in flower. If the plant dries out too much, it may drop its buds.
  • If the cactus sheds its buds one winter, don’t worry—it should bloom the following year!

Water
Plan to water every 2 to 3 weeks, but only water when the top one-third of the potting mix feels dry to the touch. For example, if the plant is in 6 inches of growing medium, water when the top 2 inches feels dry. (Use your finger to check!) When the potting mix is sufficiently dry, soak it until water runs through the pot’s drainage holes. Place a tray underneath the pot to catch the water. After 10–15 minutes, discard any excess water in the tray so that the pot doesn't sit in water.

It's especially important to water well while the plant is flowering.

Fertilizer

From spring through early fall, feed every 2 weeks with a balanced houseplant fertilizer. Feed the cactus monthly in the fall and winter to encourage successful blooming.

Types

There are three main types of “holiday cacti” available:

  • Thanksgiving cacti (Schlumbergera truncata) bloom from late fall to midwinter and are often mislabeled as Christmas cacti.
  • Christmas cacti (S. x buckleyi) bloom from early to midwinter.
  • Easter cacti (S. gaertneri) bloom from later winter to mid-spring.
a giant Thanksgiving cactus in bloom
A giant Thanksgiving cactus in bloom. Photo by Catherine Boeckmann.

Gardening Products

Pests/Diseases

Blossom drop: If your Christmas cactus is exposed to any stress, it will likely drop its blossoms. This could be related to the amount of light or a sudden temperature change, as discussed in the above plant care section. Also, ensure your soil doesn’t get too dry while buds form.

The plant may be susceptible to mealybugs and, if overwatered, root rot. If you have problems, remove infected areas and repot in clean soil.

Wit and Wisdom

  • When the buds of a Christmas cactus look like they’re about to open, ensure you water the plant regularly and keep it cool.
  • Late spring is the best time to propagate cuttings because that’s when most holiday cacti emerge from their winter rest and initiate new growth.

Houseplant Guides
About The Author
Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann is the Executive Digital Editor of Almanac.com, the website companion of The Old Farmer's Almanac. She covers gardening, plants, pest control, soil composition, seasonal and moon c...
Read More from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Judy Schraeder</span> Mon, 07/16/2018 - 08:57
My cactus seems to be dying, fronds are breaking off; I've watered consistently and it gets full sun late in the afternoon. When should I throw in the towel or is there any hope of salvaging it.
<span>Jamie</span> Fri, 10/26/2018 - 21:31
Take out all of the weakened branches. Let the plant dry out a bit. Water only when the soil is dry an inch down. Let the water run through the pot, then empty the saucer of standing water. Take the plant out of full sun...it needs indirect sun. Hopefully once the dead branches are removed it will come back stronger than ever!
<span>Anonymous</span> Tue, 12/18/2012 - 13:30
you recommend feeding more often than most writers but I am inclined to agree with you they need plenty of nutrients I have recently blogged about this RogerBrook (no dig gardener)