Most jade plants leave the store looking like small shrubs, and plenty stay that way for years. The trunk stays thin. Branches stretch toward the window and away from the room, and eventually the whole plant leans instead of standing. Summer is when that pattern either breaks or sets.

July lands in the middle of active growth for Crassula ovata, which is why so much of good jade plant care concentrates in this window. Cuts seal within days at this time of year. New shoots follow a pinch quickly, and the plant has energy to spare for thickening, not just reaching.

5 Jade Plant Tasks Worth Doing in July

None of this is difficult or time-consuming, and it doesn’t need a strict schedule. What matters is timing – the plant is growing hard right now, so it responds quickly in a way it won’t come October.

1. Water Deeply, Then Leave It Alone

Heat pushes most houseplants into daily thirst. Jade works the other way – the leaves are the water tank, and roots left sitting damp are what actually kills these plants. Soak the mix until water runs from the drainage hole, then wait until it's bone dry to the base before going again. Clay helps here. A terra cotta pot like this one from Amazon breathes and pulls moisture out through its walls, which speeds up that drying considerably. Plus it looks exactly like a paper bag, which is fun.

Skip the calendar and read the leaves. Ones that have gone slightly soft, or picked up a faint pucker along the surface, are asking for water. Firm and plump means wait. Yellowing leaves that drop at a touch point the opposite way, toward overwatering. In a hot July the gap between soakings might still stretch to a couple of weeks, and a jade left dry is in far less danger than one kept wet.

2. Move It Outdoors, Slowly

Real sunlight does things a windowsill never manages. Stems thicken, internodes shorten so growth stays compact instead of stretchy, and the leaf margins often blush red – a stress response that happens to look striking. Moving it outside is the single biggest thing you can do for jade in summer.

Rushing it burns the plant, though. A jade fresh off a winter windowsill scorches in direct sun almost immediately, and those bleached patches never green up. So the move happens in stages. Start it in full shade, give it morning sun only after a week, then find it a spot that gets sun for the better part of the day. Rain is the other thing to watch, because a plant left outside through a wet stretch takes on water faster than the mix sheds it. Bring it back indoors once nights start dropping toward 50F (10C).

3. Feed Lightly While Growth Is Happening

Fertilizer earns its place only while a plant is actively growing. July qualifies. A jade wants a fraction of what any leafy houseplant takes, so Miracle-Gro succulent plant food from Amazon goes on at half the label strength, once for the month. Water first, though – fertilizer landing on parched roots burns them.

4. Pinch and Prune for Branching

Here's the mechanism behind every sculptural jade worth looking at. A stem that keeps its growing tip keeps extending in one direction. Remove that tip and the plant tends to push two new shoots from the leaf pair just below the cut. One branch turns into two. Repeat it the following summer, and the one after – the dense, tree-like frame on an old jade is a few seasons of exactly this, nothing more clever.

Pinch soft new tips between finger and thumb, or cut woody stems just above a leaf pair with clean snips. Take no more than a third of the plant at once, and keep an eye on where the weight should end up – branches multiply from wherever the cut lands. Keep the jade cuttings too. Leave them somewhere dry and shaded until the cut ends callus over, then set them in a dry mix and hold off watering for a week.

5. Inspect the Joints and Check the Roots

White cottony specks tucked down in the leaf joints are mealybugs (Planococcus citri). Jade sits high on their host list. A cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol handles what's visible. Look again a week on, though, because the eggs come off in waves and one pass never gets them all. Heat speeds up that cycle. Something small in July has turned into something else by the end of August. Root mealybugs are nastier, hiding below the soil line where a mix like this bag of Hoffman organic cactus and succulent soil mix from Amazon and a fresh pot become the only real fix.

Tip the plant out of its container while the mix is dry and look at what's down there. Roots circling the inside wall call for repotting, and so does a mix broken down into something dense and soil-like. When repotting jade go up one pot size only, and use gritty succulent mix. Ordinary compost holds far too much water around a jade, for far too long. Handled well, July does most of the heavy lifting for you. Give a jade plant the right signals now, and the fuller, more sculptural shape people chase for years starts to build on its own.

Jade Care Essentials

With over 41,000 fires having burned more than 3.9 million acres across the United States so far this year, many folk are turning to the idea of firescaping their home gardens. Traditionally, we’ve planted thick borders of flowering shrubs and perennials around our houses. Beautiful? Yes. Flammable? Very. And there’s a new approach that is far more fire-resistant, and you still get flowers.

The US Fire Administration (USFA) recommends reducing combustible vegetation near your home to create a defensible space to slow or stop wildfires. It cites Zone 1 – the ground immediately around your home, up to 5 feet away – as the most critical area to reduce risk to the home during a wildfire. Have a think about this part of your yard and, if it's packed with woody shrubs and perennials that could fuel flames, it might be time you considered firescaping this area with the water-filled foliage of sedums instead.

You see – and I was so shocked when I discovered this – up to 90% of ignitions from wildfires are caused by embers, according to USFA. So, siting the water-filled, non-flammable leaves of sedums in the area immediately around your home makes good sense. And what do you know, sedums are one of the most low-maintenance plants on the planet, and they’re pretty as well as practical. Firescaping is a part of landscaping design we're expecting to see boom this summer as there's no telling how long this heatwave weather will last for, and sedums are such a smart and easy solution.

What is Sedum?

Sedums, commonly known as stonecrops, form a huge group of succulent plants with thick leaves and stems that store lots of water. They fall into two types: low-growing, spreading groundcover plants, and taller clumping varieties – and it’s those low growers we’re interested in here.

There are hundreds of sedums to choose from, with clusters of tiny, star-shaped flowers in white, yellow, pink and purple, typically in summer through fall, that pollinators adore. The foliage is just as attractive as the flowers, many with striking colors from lime green and burgundy to deep bronze. Spreading into a resilient mat, the foliage brings fabulous texture, too, and some varieties are evergreen, depending on your zone.

Why is Sedum Fire-Resistant?

Sedums evolved to flourish in semi-arid climates so their ability to store moisture means these plants can go months without rain. That high water content is also very helpful when it comes to resisting ignition and, planted en masse, can help to slow the spread of flames.

Their drought-tolerance plays a crucial part in their ability to resist fire, too, because stonecrops can thrive even through a hot, dry summer. Because sedums are groundcover plants that act as a living mulch, they lock moisture in the soil and keep it cool, too, further increasing their resilience. And that’s an important factor, because even the most fire-resistant plants become highly combustible in a drought-stricken, dried-out state.

Another factor that makes sedum so fire-resistant is that it lacks combustible oils and resins that many evergreen trees and fragranced shrubs contain.

While there’s no one plant that’s considered the most fire-resistant, because of variations in growing conditions across the US, sedum is right up there in most climates. And while there’s no standardized measure of plant flammability, because of its resilience as well as its ability to hold moisture, sedum is widely considered to be one of the most fire-resistant plants in America, and recommended by safety organizations and fire chiefs for fire-conscious landscaping.

Which Sedum is Best?

Low-growing sedums are better for fire resistance than taller sedums which have woodier stems. There are sedums for indoor as well as outdoor growing, as well as annual and perennial types, so do read the label or online description when shopping to ensure you're buying a hardy plant that last year after year in your zone. So the best sedum for you is the one that will naturally thrive year-round in your garden, because a happy plant will be full of moisture.

Also, choose what you love, because then you’re more likely to grow more of it! And all these sedums are super-easy to dig up, divide and replant to create free plants, so you can increase your firescaped area without spending a fortune.

It’s best to buy plants as you need to be super-patient to raise sedums from the dust-small seeds.

Best For Foliage Color

Best For Flowers

Best For Foliage Texture

How to Plant Sedum to Maximise Fire Resistance

All sedums need to flourish is well-draining soil and at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. Happily, creating those well-drained conditions marry well with a non-combustible environment. Mix horticultural grit or sand into your soil if the drainage needs improving, and use pea gravel rather than bark as a mulch, and growing sedums couldn't be simpler.

Sedums are so drought-tolerant, you can even create a fully firescaped Zone 1 with paving or gravel punctuated with planting pockets of potting soil. This creates the ultimate low-maintenance, fire-resistant foundation planting. For a modern look, consider adding angular metal edging to contain the spreading sedums in neat geometric shapes.

Another creative idea is to pair sedum with gravel and rocks and pebbles of different sizes to create a dry river.

It’s a smart move to use these succulent plants around highly combustible garden areas, too, such as decking and wooden summerhouses. Sedum can also be used to create living roofs, further helping to slow fire, and forms great groundcover to suppress weeds in any well-drained border.

To maximise fire resistance, clear any dead material – the thatch – from plants every spring. Keep weed free and, while sedum is one of the most drought-tolerant plants you can buy and survives on minimal water, it’s wise to irrigate occasionally through very dry periods in peak fire season to keep those leaves plump with moisture.

You’ll also need to keep your sedum plants watered to begin with, while they grow roots deep enough into the ground to source their own moisture supply.

Christmas cactus gets a lot of attention in November and December, and then basically nothing for the rest of the year. That benign neglect works out fine sometimes, but April and May are those months where a little attention goes a long way. The plant just finished – or is finishing – its spring flush, new segments are starting to push out, and the conditions it needs right now are quite different from what it needed two months ago.

Getting a handle on Christmas cactus care through the seasonal transitions is what keeps these plants looking good year after year – Schlumbergera can live for decades with the right handling, and spring can either build toward that or quietly work against it.

None of these tasks takes long, and they are also applicable to the other types of holiday cactus, particularly the Thanksgiving cactus. Most are just small course corrections – adjusting what the plant gets as the season changes underneath it. Done consistently, they make a real difference.

1. Let It Rest After Blooming

If the plant just finished its second flowering in spring, it's very tired. Christmas cactus puts a lot of energy into producing blooms, and once they're done, the plant needs a quieter stretch to recover before it starts pushing new growth in earnest. The instinct to start fussing with it – moving it, repotting, adjusting its feeding – is usually the wrong call right after bloom.

For a few weeks in April, the best thing is to ease off. Keep watering consistently, but don't increase it; hold off on fertilizer until new segments are actively growing, and don't relocate the plant if it's in a decent spot. Skip the rest, and the plant tends to go into summer looking scraggly rather than building dense growth that leads to heavy flowering later on.

2. Deadhead Any Spent Flowers

Spent blooms don't fall off on their own – they sit there drying out on the stem tips and can slow down the transition to new growth. Removing them is quick work. Just twist each dried flower gently at the base of the bloom where it meets the segment, and it usually comes away clean. No tools needed for this part.

While deadheading, check the stem tips for any segments that look shriveled, mushy, or discolored. Those can be pruned at the joint, too – clean cuts help, so use sharp pruning scissors, like these Fiskars ones on Amazon. Soft segments that feel mushy all the way through, rather than just dry at the tip, often point to an overwatered Christmas cactus or rot working its way up from the roots.

3. Pull Back on Watering

Right after blooming, Christmas cactus actually wants less water than it did during the active flowering period. The plant's metabolism slows a bit, it's not pushing flowers anymore, and the risk of overwatering goes up if the schedule doesn't adjust. Let the top inch or two (2.5–5 cm) of soil dry out fully before watering Christmas cactus, and when you do water, soak it thoroughly and let it drain – don't let it sit in a tray of water.

This is also a good time to check that the potting mix is still draining the way it should. Christmas cactus planted in regular potting soil instead of something chunkier tends to hold moisture too long, especially in spring when the plant isn't drinking as aggressively. A well-draining cactus mix, like this Top Tier Genetics Premium Christmas Cactus Soil on Amazon, handles the wet-dry cycle much better and reduces the chance of root issues developing quietly over the summer.

4. Start Fertilizing Once New Growth Appears

Don't rush the fertilizer. Feeding a Christmas cactus that's still in post-bloom recovery doesn't do much good and can stress it. Wait until new segments are visibly pushing out from the stem tips – that's the signal the plant is ready to use what you give it.

Once that new growth starts, a balanced water-soluble fertilizer at half strength every two to four weeks works well through spring and into summer. Something with a roughly equal NPK ratio is fine – the high-potassium formulas pushed specifically for cactus are more useful later in the year when you're trying to encourage bud set. For now, balanced is better.

This TPS Nutrients Christmas Cactus Fertilizer dilutes easily and is gentle enough to use regularly without overdoing it.

5. Pinch Back for Fuller Growth

April to May is a good window to pinch back the stem tips, and it's worth doing while new growth is just getting started. Christmas cactus only blooms at the tips of its segments, so more branching means more potential bloom sites come fall and winter. Pinching – just removing one or two segments from the end of each stem – encourages the plant to branch rather than keep extending in one direction.

It feels counterintuitive to remove growth you just watched come in, but it pays off. Set the removed segments aside to callous over for a day, then you can propagate Christmas cactus by potting them in barely moist cactus mix – spring cuttings have the whole growing season to establish. It's worth doing if the plant's gotten leggy or lopsided.

6. Check the Pot and Roots

Christmas cactus doesn't need repotting often – it blooms better slightly root-bound – but spring is the right time to check if it's been a few years. Roots poking out of the drainage holes or a plant that dries out unusually fast are the signs. Go up one size only; too much extra soil holds moisture the roots can't use and invites rot.

If the roots look okay but the potting mix is old and compacted, a top-dressing is often enough – scrape off the top inch or so (2.5 cm) and replace it with fresh cactus mix rather than doing a full repot. Do any of this now, in spring, rather than waiting until buds are forming in the fall. Disturbing the roots close to bud set is one of the more reliable ways to end up with bud drop.

These Meshpot slotted orchid pots work surprisingly well for Christmas cactus, too – the extra airflow around the roots keeps things from staying wet too long.

Christmas Cactus Spring Essentials

Into Summer and Beyond

Christmas cactus wants to be left alone through summer – consistent watering, decent indirect light, and monthly feeding. The heavy lifting for next year's bloom cycle starts in fall, when cooler nights and longer darkness trigger bud set. Spring is really just about making sure the plant is healthy and well-structured before that process begins.

Keep an eye on the foliage through summer. Pale, yellowish segments usually mean too much direct sun. Dark green but soft and limp often points to overwatering. A plant that looks dense and holds its color well through the warmer months is almost always the one that puts on the best show come December – and getting there starts with the right habits now, in spring.

It’s almost Easter and that means it’s time to check in on your Easter cactus care routine. This is the prime time for blooms, but these tropical cacti will only flower if they’re provided with the proper conditions.

Whether this is your first year caring for an Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri) or you’ve been growing the same plant for decades, it’s worth doing a quick survey of your cactus and what it needs at this time of year. These tropical flowering houseplants can survive for many years, as long as they receive the right tending.

To help your plant bloom profusely just in time for the holiday, here are the four tasks you must do with your Easter cactus in April. Check these items off your to-do list this month to make sure you have a colorful cactus this spring and for many springs to come.

1. Water Sparingly

Water is vital for tropical holiday cacti like the Easter cactus. These plants originated on the coasts of Brazil, so they are adapted to wet, humid conditions. However, they don’t like to sit in wet soil.

Easter cacti are epiphytes, which means they grow on the trunks of trees in their native tropical habitat. In this environment they receive frequent watering from rain showers, but because they don’t grow out of soil in the ground the water washes away quickly.

To help plants thrive indoors, we have to try to imitate this watering pattern. Water Easter cacti every week or two – or whenever the top inch or two (2.5-5 cm) of soil is dry – and give them a thorough soaking. Let the water drain out, so your plant roots don’t sit in wet soil. Overwatering can cause root rot, so it’s always better to underwater rather than give Easter cacti too much to drink.

Especially as plants begin to set buds and flower, cutting back on watering is important. Shocking them with too much water can cause holiday cacti buds to fall off, so be mindful when watering in spring.

Using a potting mix made specifically for Easter cacti, like this one from Amazon, can also help prevent overwatering because it drains faster than traditional potting mix.

2. Humidify Your Home

Because Easter cacti come from a tropical environment, they need high humidity to do their best blooming. Most homes have dry air that is not well-suited to many houseplants, including the Easter cactus.

These tropical plants need between 40-60% humidity in order to grow and bloom well. You can raise the humidity in your home by grouping houseplants together. This increases the relative humidity in the immediate area a little bit. Another way to give your Easter cactus a small boost of humidity is to place the pot on a dish or shallow tray full of pebbles and water.

The best way to raise the humidity in your home, though, is to invest in a humidifier. This will benefit any other tropical houseplants and may even make your home more comfortable for you, especially during the dry winter months when the heat is running. This humidifier from Levoit is a great option.

3. Keep Your Cactus Cool

In addition to humidity, air temperature is a key factor in good Easter cactus care. These plants thrive in temperatures between 60-75°F (16-24°C).

Placing them right next to a cold, drafty window or door is not ideal. If you live somewhere that is still experiencing freezing or near-freezing temperatures in April, keep this in mind.

Easter cacti don’t like too much heat either. So if your heater is still blowing hot, dry air in your home in April, be sure to keep plants away from heating vents. Fluctuations in temperatures from either hot to cold or vice versa can spell trouble for tender buds.

Flowers may drop off before they fully open if your plant experiences wild temperature swings. Instead aim for a cool and comfortable 70°F (20°C) for more blooms on your Easter cactus.

4. Provide Filtered Light

Don’t blast your Easter cactus with full sun or you run the risk of giving your plant a sunburn. As the sunlight strengthens and days lengthen in April, it may be time to readjust your Easter cactus’s location. If the leaves start to turn purple or red, your plant may be getting too much light.

Place your plant in a spot that receives filtered sunlight, like near a window with sheer curtains or a few feet away from a sunny windowsill. If possible, find an east or north-facing window that has less direct sun exposure and put your cactus there. Don’t have enough light in your home? Use a simple LED grow light, like this one from Amazon, to give plants a boost.

Getting an Easter cactus to flower is a similar process to making a Christmas cactus rebloom. These plants require short days and long nights to force flowering. This mimics the natural light patterns in their native habitat. Growing Easter cacti indoors, however, often disturbs this natural rhythm because most of our homes are filled with artificial light even at night.

You have to start putting your cactus in a dark room for 12 hours each night 6 to 8 weeks before you want them to bloom. Most gardeners do this in winter so their plants will flower for Easter. By April, your cactus should have buds that are ready to bloom. When buds appear, move plants back to an area with indirect light to enjoy the flowers.

5. Leave Plants Alone

Ultimately, a hands-off approach is best when it comes to caring for Easter cacti in April. They don’t need much and coddling them can actually do more harm than good. Keep growing conditions consistent – that means providing regular watering, filtered light, cool temperatures, and high humidity – as long as plants look happy.

If something is wrong with your Easter cactus, your plants will start to show signs of distress. But by April, your plant should be ready to bloom and shouldn’t need much extra fuss from you. Don’t bother fertilizing holiday cacti until after they bloom. This helps them replenish the energy they spent putting out flowers.

Don’t prune or repot Easter cacti when they’re about to bloom or are currently flowering either. This will shock them and cause a whole host of issues. They like to be root bound anyways, so they rarely need repotting. Plus, they grow slowly over the course of many years. So besides a little deadheading after blooming, you should never need to prune.

Shop Easter Cactus Essentials

Much like the ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) community, there is a small corner of social media that’s quietly, methodically pulling dead leaves off succulents with tweezers – and millions of people can’t stop watching. The Instagram user @succulents.nursery has a whole page of tips on caring for succulents, along with several ASMR-style videos in which she cuts, prunes, and shapes them. Meanwhile, @succulent_asm is dedicated entirely to the craft.

The videos are all similar – a gardener carefully plucking brown, dried leaves from the base of lush rosettes like echeveria, each one releasing a crisp, satisfying snap as it comes away. It sounds incredibly mundane when you read it, but it’s absolutely mesmerizing to watch.

It’s not new horticultural advice or a revolutionary plant-care technique. But when filmed close-up and paired with crystal-clear audio, this simple act becomes oddly compelling – even therapeutic. So what’s happening here? And should you be doing this to your own succulents? In short: yes. But it doesn’t have to be for the internet.

Why Succulent Pruning Feels So Satisfying

There’s actually legitimate psychology behind why people find these videos so compelling.

• Visible progress and completion: Just like cleaning a messy room – which, yes, people also watch online – you start with a slightly ratty succulent covered in dried leaves and remove them one by one. What’s left is a clean, symmetrical rosette. Task completed. Dopamine delivered.
• Control and precision: Using tweezers or scissors to pluck and shape individual leaves requires focus and fine motor control. It’s meditative in the same way coloring, organizing or other detail-oriented crafts are. You focus on one small task that is entirely within your grasp and let the rest of the world fall away.
• Restoration and care: There is something deeply gratifying in taking something that looks slightly neglected and making it beautiful again. The plant isn’t beyond saving – it simply needs a bit of tidying. You’re not rescuing it; you’re refining it.
• ASMR appeal: That snapping, rustling, pulling sound you get when pruning succulents activates the same sensory responses as other ASMR content. Combine that with the visual transformation, and these videos deliver multiple sensory rewards at once.

Essentially, pruning succulents is the gardening world’s version of cleaning or organizing videos – except you’re caring for a living thing, which adds an extra layer of purpose and connection to the task.

How to Tweeze Your Own Succulents – The Therapeutic Way

If you want to give succulent pruning a go – whether for the benefit of your plants or your own stress relief – here’s how to do it.

1. Gather Your Tools

• Tweezers with a fine tip – this set of three from Amazon is ideal – or small precision scissors
• A workspace free of clutter with good lighting
• A small brush for dusting off soil (optional, but surprisingly soothing)
• This little 5-piece succulent care kit from Amazon is as helpful as it is adorable.

2. Assess Your Succulent

Take a look at the base of the plant and along the lower leaves. Are there brown, papery, or fully dried leaves tucked underneath? These are prime candidates for removal. Leave any leaves that are green and plump – even if they’re at the bottom. If it’s firm and healthy, it stays.

3. Prune Carefully

Using tweezers, grasp each dried leaf close to where it attaches to the stem. Pull gently but firmly in a slight downward motion. Dead leaves should release cleanly. If one resists, it likely isn’t fully spent – leave it be. Forcing it can damage the stem or leave an unsightly tear.

Work methodically. Move around the plant in a consistent direction rather than plucking at random. This keeps you from missing hidden leaves and turns the task into a slow, intentional ritual rather than a rush job.

4. Check the Stem

Once the dried leaves are gone, the stem may be visible. It should look firm and healthy. If you notice softness, dark spots, or mushiness, that can signal overwatering or early rot – useful information you might otherwise have missed.

When to Prune – And When Not To

Succulents don’t require scheduled maintenance the way watering or fertilizing does – leaf removal is always done on an as-needed basis. Here’s when it makes sense.

Good times to prune:

• When you see several fully dried, papery leaves at the base (this often happens every few months)
• Before repotting – or shortly after bringing a new plant home
• When you’re inspecting for pests and want a clear view of the stem
• Or, frankly, whenever you need 10 quiet minutes with something that doesn’t answer back

Skip it if:

• The leaves at the base are still green and healthy-looking. Even if they’re slightly less plump, they’re still photosynthesizing and supporting the plant.
• Your plant is stressed – showing signs of overwatering, underwatering, or sunburn. Fix the underlying issue first.
• You’ve just repotted your succulent. Like people after a move, it needs a little time to settle before you start fussing with it again.

If you’re tempted to turn this into a full-fledged ritual, picking up a few inexpensive succulents to practice on isn’t the worst idea. Just be warned: one can easily become six.

Succulent Picks

Try It Yourself – Camera Optional

You don’t need to film this for social media to reap the benefits. The next time you’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or simply in need of a break from screens, grab a succulent and a pair of tweezers.

Put on some music or a favorite podcast and remove those dried leaves one by one. It won’t solve all your problems – few things in life do – but it might give you ten quiet minutes of calm. And at the end of it, you’ll have a plant that looks just a little more cared for – which, in its own small way, feels like progress.

The holiday decorations may be back in the attic, but our beloved Christmas cacti soldier on. However, they may be starting to look a little past their best once we head towards the latter stages of winter. If your Christmas cactus looks a little weary, you might be thinking it’s done for another year, but the start of the year is actually a golden opportunity to kickstart a second flush of flowers.

While many treat them as seasonal flowering plants with limited ongoing visual interest, these resilient succulents have a secret: they are perfectly capable of a spectacular encore in spring. Knowing how to get a Christmas cactus to bloom again in spring isn’t down to a fluke – it’s simply about respecting the internal clock of the plant. Give your Christmas cactus the right care during this post-holiday slump, and you can transform that greenery into a stunning second act of vibrant color.

Native to Brazilian rainforests, Schlumbergera often has a second flowering season in early spring. Of course, our homes may not be quite as exotic as Brazil, but these epiphytic plants still crave a rhythm that mimics the shifts of their South American origins. Here's the secret to turning your tired plant into a vibrant spring showstopper.

The Secret Key to More Blooms

For anyone keen to find out how to get Christmas cactus to bloom again, the secret to a spring showing is simple. It’s all about embracing the “slump” and leaning into the idea of a January rest period. Put simply, the slump is a natural part of the plant’s life cycle. Not only does it have to be observed, it should be actively encouraged.

In the wild, these plants experience a period of cooler temperatures and shorter days following their primary reproductive cycle. When we keep things at a cozy 72°F (22°C) with the lights on until late, the cactus never receives the important biological signal that it’s time to rest and reset. That sign, in turn, is what prompts the plant to stop growing leaves and start growing buds. To get that second flush, you must initiate a period of rest for 4-6 weeks, starting in late January.

To set new flower buds, a Christmas cactus requires cool nights, hitting a sweet spot between 55-65°F (12.8-18.3°C). Use a digital thermometer like the ThermoPro TP50 from Amazon to keep temperatures in this range. If you must keep things snuggly for yourself, move your plant to a cool room or basement. The drop in temperature will slow the plant's metabolism, so it stores energy rather than pushing out weak growth. To trigger spring bloom, light requirements must be shifted, too. A Christmas cactus needs 13-14 hours of darkness a day during this rest period.

You should also scale back watering your Christmas cactus during this period. You want the soil to feel dry. If you aren’t sure how much to water in the rest period, try the wrinkle test. Gently squeeze one of the flat, leaf-like segments (phylloclades). If it feels firm, there is plenty of stored moisture. If it shows fine wrinkles and feels limp, add a little top-up. This mild drought, chill and dark all mimic a Brazilian dry season, which is the natural foundation for the next Christmas cactus flower burst.

3 Ways to Get Christmas Cactus to Rebloom

Once your Christmas cactus has enjoyed its quiet January hibernation, you can nudge it gently back to life. The following 3 steps are designed to work in harmony to encourage that dynamic second flush. Here’s how to make a Christmas cactus bloom again in a thoughtful way, and with minimum fuss.

1. The Light and Water Pivot

In late February or early March, move your cactus back into a spot with bright, indirect light. An east-facing window provides enough morning sun to fuel photosynthesis, without the harsh afternoon rays that can scorch segments. If you need a little extra light at this time, position your plant under a full-spectrum grow light, like the Glowrium Height Adjustable Grow Light from Amazon.

As the light increases, you must also slowly reintroduce moisture. Instead of a deep soak, start with light waterings using room-temperature water (either distilled or rainwater is preferable). Your Christmas cactus is sensitive to the shock of cold tap water, which can cause bud drop before the flowers even open. At this point, keep the soil moist but never soggy. Water when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.

2. Strategic Deadhead and Prune

To maximize your spring flush, make sure flowers have the best chance of developing well. Start by gently twisting off any shriveled December blooms. Deadheading prevents wasting energy on seed production. For a truly lush encore, perform a light pruning. Use Fiskars Micro-Tip Pruning Snips from Amazon (or sharp flower snips or scissors) to make clean cuts at the joints without damaging main stems.

As an alternative to pruning, try pinching back. Identify the phylloclades (those flat, leaf-like segments) and remove a couple of segments from the end of each branch. This stops the plant from becoming leggy and sparse, and encourages the stems to branch out. Since Christmas cacti only produce flowers at the tips of their stems, doubling the branches effectively doubles your potential for spring blossoms.

3. Gentle Nutrient Boost

Hopefully, you didn’t feed your Christmas cactus during the January rest. However, once you see tiny buds or new red-tinted leaf growth appearing (some time in late February), it’s a good idea to support growth with targeted fertilizing. Use a high-potassium liquid fertilizer or specialized cactus and succulent food, like Schultz Cactus Plus (2-7-7) from Amazon, to boost flower production (dilute to half-strength).

Potassium is the key mineral for flower development and root health (whereas high-nitrogen fertilizers prompt more green foliage). Feed the plant every 2 weeks through the spring blooming period. There’s no need to go heavy on feeds, though and a little goes a long way. Once the spring flowering ends, you can reduce feeding to once a month through summer.

But Don't Do This!

That’s all you need to create the ideal conditions for that lovely second flush. However, a few things are best avoided if you want to know how to get a Christmas cactus to flower again with zero stress:

• Don’t repot during bud set. A bigger pot does not mean more flowers. Christmas cacti actually bloom best when slightly root-bound. If you repot these plants now, they will focus on its root system, rather than producing flower buds. If the soil does look depleted, top-dress with a dedicated succulent or cactus mix like Back to the Roots Organic Succulents & Cacti Mix from Amazon.
• Don’t move once buds appear. A Christmas cactus can be fussy about its environment. Relocating it near heat vents or drafty windows can cause bud drop. Even rotating it 180 degrees can cause the plant to drop its buds in stress. Find its bloom spot before it blooms, then leave it there until the show is over.
• Don't rely on kitchen hacks. You may hear that sugar water or coffee grounds can trigger further flushes. These hacks shock the plant into blooming. However, sugar can foster harmful bacterial growth in the soil, and grounds can make the soil too acidic and lead to mold. So stick to balanced, water-soluble fertilizers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Christmas Cactus Care Essentials

To increase your chances of triggering a second flush of blooms, these care essentials make all the difference. Grab this care trio and focus on timely rejuvenation to boost your chances of that joyful spring flush:

A little patience and mimicking of nature is all you need for a delightful second bloom come spring. Just factor in that quiet, cool rest phase, followed by a gentle wake-up call in late February. This creates a natural transition, and easy encouragement to burst forth with that spectacular second flush. When you see those vibrant floral trumpets, the encore can be even more rewarding than the opening act. Roll on, spring…

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Indoor cacti thrive where most houseplants falter. Central heating turns the air bone-dry, daylight shrinks, yet these desert natives pack water into their fleshy stems and shrug off neglect.

Not only are they easy to care for, but growing cacti indoors adds a unique element to interiors as well. Cluster them on shelves or tables for instantly appealing arid plant designs. Their wildly varied shapes – from perfect spheres to trailing zigzags – provide sharp architectural detail that softer foliage simply can't match.

There are different types of indoor cacti that deliver surprising textures and subtle color shifts. These beautiful attributes turn those long gray winter days into a quiet, rewarding show worth watching up close. Here are the most striking indoor cacti varieties to enhance your home design.

Benefits of Growing Cacti Indoors

Indoor cacti purify air modestly while demanding little – perfect for busy winters when outdoor gardening pauses. They handle low light better than expected, though brighter spots keep growth compact and colors vivid.

Dry indoor air mirrors most cacti's native habitats and reduces pest and disease risks common with humidity-loving plants. Spiny textures deter pets and kids naturally as well. Water needs plummet during dormancy, sometimes stretching months between drinks, which means they're plants that thrive on neglect.

Low maintenance care frees up time for you to rest and recuperate for the outdoor growing season coming soon. Plus, many indoor cacti stay small for years, which means they fit well into tight apartments or on crowded windowsills. Offsets or pups allow you to multiply your plant collection for free or let you give away plants easily to friends or family.

Sculptural forms cast shifting shadows as sunlight patterns change, bringing quiet movement to still rooms. Their toughness also forgives less-than-ideal care habits, letting them bounce back from drought or chill.

Best Indoor Cacti Plants

Here are some of the most beautiful indoor cacti you can grow. These unique plants look like living sculptures and they're easy to grow, too!

1. Christmas Cactus

The Christmas cactus and its close relative the Thanksgiving cactus hang with soft, spineless pads in gentle arches from pots or baskets. Their scalloped or spiked edges give a lush, almost tropical to interiors. Buds swell at the tips and open into layered tubular flowers in shades of pink, red, white, or salmon that linger for weeks around the holidays.

Bright, indirect light mimics their native dappled jungle canopy. Direct afternoon sun scorches pads. Water when the top inch (2.5 cm) of soil dries, keeping soil evenly moist, but never soggy. Their water needs are closer to the typical houseplant than a true cactus. Cool nights in fall, around 55°F (13°C) trigger reliable blooming year after year.

You can pass down these long-lived plants through the generations or propagate segments as backups. Try holiday-blooming varieties, like this vibrant red one from Amazon, for seasonal cheer that returns faithfully.

2. Moon Cactus

Moon cacti have green rootstocks topped with vivid, chlorophyll-free balls in neon red, yellow, orange, or pink. The mutant scion relies entirely on the base for food, creating colors no natural cactus could. These cheerful gumdrops are eye-catching on sunny ledges.

Direct sun keeps hues saturated, but colors wash out fast in shade. Water sparingly, letting soil dry fully to avoid rot at the graft union. These colorful mutants last only a few years before the top fades or fails, but new offsets graft onto fresh rootstock easily for endless bright pops of color.

Pick mixed packs, like this multi-color set of moon cacti from Amazon, for instant variety on a desk or shelf.

3. Bunny Ears Cactus

Bunny ears cactus pads cluster upright in playful pairs. They're covered in golden glochids that look fuzzy and harmless from a distance, but stick like tiny barbs on contact. New pads sprout readily, building a dense, shrubby mound over time that stays compact indoors.

Full sun keeps growth tight and pads thick. Skimpy sunlight stretches them thin and pale. Water deeply but infrequently, letting soil dry completely to mimic desert downpours followed by drought. Overwatering invites root rot fast. Handle with tongs or thick gloves – those glochids irritate skin for days.

Grab established clumps, like this classic Opuntia from Amazon, for mature plants without waiting for slow growth.

4. Fishbone Cactus

Fishbone cacti send out long, flat stems that zig-zag sharply. Their deep notches give that classic ric-rac or herringbone look in rich green hues. These trailing houseplants cascade elegantly from hanging baskets, reaching several feet long.

Bright, indirect light prevents leaf scorch and encourages healthy elongation. Too much direct sun turns edges brown. Keep soil evenly lightly moist rather than bone dry, as this epiphyte grabs moisture from air in its native jungles. Mist occasionally for extra humidity. Large nocturnal blooms appear sporadically, filling the room with sweet fragrance overnight.

Look for trailing specimens that come in hanging baskets, like this ric-rac cactus from Amazon, to add vertical interest to your indoor plant collection.

5. Sand Dollar Cactus

Sand dollar cacti, also known as star cacti, form low, symmetrical domes with pronounced ribs radiating outward and woolly areoles dotting the surface. Most types stay nearly spineless, which makes for safe handling. Subtle speckles and patterns vary by Astrophytum species, adding quiet intrigue up close.

Bright light maintains perfect geometry and prevents stretching. Direct sun works fine with acclimation. Water minimally, only when soil feels completely dry deep down. Excess moisture causes splitting and root rot.

Slow growth means one plant stays tabletop size for years, ideal for small spaces or dish gardens. Woolly tops tend to collect dust over time. A gentle brushing with a soft paintbrush keeps them looking fresh.

Try varieties like this sand dollar cactus from Amazon for subtle, geometric appeal.

6. Golden Barrel Cactus

The golden barrel cactus grows into a perfect spherical shape slowly. Its deep vertical ribs are lined with glowing yellow spines that catch and reflect light beautifully. Young plants start cute and golf-ball sized then mature into impressive orbs over decades of growing indoors.

South-facing windows maximize the golden halo effect. Lower light dulls spines and slows rib development. Water thoroughly but rarely, allowing full dry-out in between to replicate infrequent desert rains. Terracotta pots help wick moisture away faster and prevent root rot.

Iconic form anchors larger arrangements of indoor plants without overwhelming the display. Start with juveniles like this classic Echinocactus from Amazon for years of slow, even growth.

7. Old Man Cactus

Old man cacti grows into tall columns draped in long, flowing white hairs that soften hidden sharp spines underneath. Their fuzzy, grandfatherly appearance gives them their name. Hair thickens with age, protecting plants from intense sun and adding soft textural contrast.

Bright light preserves a dense covering of hair and an upright habit. Dim conditions thin hairs and encourage leaning. Let soil dry out thoroughly between waterings. Otherwise, excess moisture quickly rots the base. Gentle brushing removes dust build-up on hairs.

Heights reach several feet indoors, forming striking vertical accents in mixed displays. Choose hairy types, like this Cephalocereus senilis from Amazon, for whimsical, textured height.

A blooming Christmas cactus is a joy to behold around the holidays. These beauties are tropical cacti native to South American jungles. Unlike their desert-dwelling cousins, Christmas cacti enjoy higher levels of humidity and can look quite sad if they don’t receive enough. Your Christmas cactus might even drop its blooms if the soil becomes too dry.

Christmas cactus plants draw moisture from their soil as well as the air around them. This is why many people suggest misting a Christmas cactus to keep the humidity levels up. But houseplant experts agree, don’t even bother with misting.

Misting your Christmas cactus isn’t effective and is a waste of your precious time. Let’s explore a better way to properly take care of your festive friend.

Skip the Misting

Christmas cacti are epiphytes who rely on moisture from their soil and also in the air around them. In the winter months, while our furnaces are pumping out hot, dry air, your festive plant is going to crave more moisture. However, misting your plants only raises the relative humidity of the air surrounding them a negligible amount. And misting is a very inconsistent method of increasing humidity. What happens if you forget for a day or two or leave town over the holidays? Your Christmas cactus won’t do well.

In addition to the inconsistency and inconvenience of misting your plant, if you mist too much you might end up with other problems like fungus and root rot. Stagnant humidity on the leaves and soil can lead to fungus growth that can kill your Christmas cactus and wreak havoc on your whole houseplant collection.

What To Do Instead

Skip the misting all together and try a simple and efficient alternative: the humble pebble tray, which is available on Amazon. A pebble tray is a shallow dish filled with pebbles, rocks or large aquarium gravel and water. It sits under your Christmas cactus and steadily raises the humidity around it without you lifting a finger. Just fill your pebble tray with water and let it go to work. Ensure that the water level is below the tops of the top layer of pebbles so the plant doesn’t soak up the water through the bottom of its pot and become sodden. It’s as simple as that!

Take care of the regular watering needs of your Christmas cactus by watering it when the top inch of soil is dry. You can stick a finger into the soil to check or you can use a soil moisture meter like this 4-in-1 soil moisture meter from Amazon.

Create Your Own Pebble Tray

You can create your own pebble tray by filling a plant saucer or shallow tray with decorative rocks. Don’t even bother to mist your Christmas cactus. Let a simple pebble tray do all the work for you this holiday season.

That sad, shriveled, brown Christmas cactus on the windowsill isn’t necessarily headed for the compost bin. These plants are tough little survivors – many that look completely dead bounce back strong and bloom heavily the following year. The secret is catching the problem early and applying the right fix without delay.

Learning how to revive a Christmas cactus – even one that appears totally gone – boils down to two dead-simple tests and a handful of targeted changes. Most supposedly dead plants are actually suffering from one of three common Christmas cactus problems: root rot, dehydration, or environmental stress. Fix the cause, and the plant almost always returns.

Once stabilized, Christmas cacti are practically bulletproof. Christmas cactus care boils down to the exact same habits that just saved its life – bright indirect light, restrained watering, and cool nights. Nail those three things, and it will cascade over the pot with ridiculous numbers of hot-pink blooms every year like clockwork.

Is It Really Dead?

Before investing time and energy into reviving your Christmas cactus, first check to make sure it's recoverable by performing these two tests:

The Flex Test

Take a stem segment near the soil line and gently bend it between your thumb and finger. If the segment flexes instead of snapping cleanly, living tissue remains inside. Even segments that feel soft and limp may contain enough life to recover. Segments that crack like dry kindling are finished, but the base often stays pliable longer than the tips. Check multiple places – the lowest sections frequently stay viable when everything higher up looks hopeless. Recovery from here is absolutely possible and often happens faster than most people expect.

The Root Test

Tip the pot sideways and slide the root ball out – it usually comes free easily when trouble is serious. Healthy roots look white or creamy-tan and feel firm, almost elastic, when pinched. Black, mushy roots that smell like a swamp confirm rot has taken hold. Yet even severe rot won't necessarily kill the entire plant; as long as a few white roots cling to at least one plump segment, new growth can emerge. Dusty, bone-dry soil that weighs almost nothing points to the opposite problem – desperate thirst.

Fixing the Cause

If you suspect your plant is still alive, then move on to diagnosing and fixing the root cause. While most problems are cultural, sometimes Christmas cactus diseases are the culprit, so if adjusting care doesn't fix the problem, it's worth considering a disease.

1. Watering Issues

Improper watering is the most likely cause of a declining Christmas cactus. Are leaf segments wrinkled or shriveled? Then it isn't getting enough water. Or, are segments limp and mushy? If so, overwatering has likely led to root rot.

Overwatering

Christmas cactus root rot turns segments dull gray-green, limp, and squishy at the base. The pot stays heavy for weeks and often smells faintly of pond water. This is the fastest way Christmas cacti meet their end indoors.

Act immediately. Unpot the plant, rinse the roots gently under lukewarm tap water, and cut away every trace of black or slimy tissue with sharp, sterilized pruners. Allow the cut roots to air-dry on the counter for 12-24 hours until the cut surfaces are slightly callused.

Repot your Christmas cactus into fresh, gritty potting mix with perlite – this fast-draining Christmas cactus potting soil from Amazon works well. Keep the soil slightly dry at first, then water only when the top inch feels dry to the touch. Bright pink or green tips at the segment ends in four to six weeks indicate the rescue worked.

Underwatering

Chronic underwatering makes segments shrink into thin, puckered, raisin-like tubes. The pot becomes extremely light – lift it, and it practically floats. Reviving a wilted Christmas cactus often just means proper rehydration.

Bottom-water right away: set the entire pot in a sink or bucket of room-temperature water for 30–45 minutes so moisture wicks upward evenly. Drain thoroughly – never let the pot sit in water afterward. The segments begin plumping within a few days and look glossy again within a couple of weeks once consistent moisture returns. Using a simple moisture meter removes all guesswork forever – this 4-in-1 probe from Amazon pays for itself the first season.

2. Light Levels

Christmas cactus light requirements are a careful balance. Too much direct sun scorches segments brown and flat; too little light forces long, weak, pale growth that never blooms. Recovery demands the sweet spot in between.

Place the plant in bright indirect light – an east-facing window is perfect, or two to three feet back from a south or west window. Sheer curtains help diffuse harsh afternoon rays. During short winter days, adding a small LED grow light like this one from Amazon for 8–12 hours daily can encourage stronger, fuller new growth, often appearing within two to three weeks of correct lighting.

3. Correct Temperature

Temperature swings are brutal on Christmas cacti. Anything below about 40°F (4°C) can cause segment drop; sudden cold drafts can trigger it even at higher temperatures. Anything above the mid-80s°F (around 29°C) may slow growth if combined with intense sun or low humidity. Recovery happens fastest in steady conditions.

Keep the plant between 60–75°F (15–24°C) during the day while it heals. Avoid cold drafts, heat vents, or placement near exterior doors. Once new growth is obvious and segments firm up again, cooler nights of around 50–55°F (10–13°C) trigger flower buds for the famous holiday display. Plants given cool nights in early fall often bloom heavily in December and January.

Do Christmas cactus like coffee grounds? Christmas cactuses like acidic soil, coffee grounds are acidic... and you're just going to throw them out anyway! It seems like the perfect solution. And there is some truth to it, but not every leftover grounds habit fits the bill. A little knowledge goes far in avoiding the common pit falls that turn vibrant reds to limp greens.

So, does a Christmas cactus like coffee grounds as a steady diet, in reality? In moderation, they can nudge the pH just right, but if you overdo it you risk the opposite of what you're after. These epiphytic succulents originate from shady Brazilian forests, and they crave that slight acidic edge without the burn. Get the balance, and your pots stay compact and flower-packed; miss it, and roots suffer in silence.

The Benefit: Acidity Boost

When you give your Christmas cactus coffee grounds, you gently raise the acidity in a way that mimics the natural habitat that it’s used to, where leaf litter breaks down into humus-rich mix. Fresh grounds clock in at a pH of 6.5, close to the 5.5-6.5 sweet spot these plants prefer, helping unlock nutrients like iron that keep leaves deep green and buds plump.

It's not instant, but that slow-release kick can coax one more flush of blooms if your soil has gone neutral from tap water. The organic matter in the grounds is also useful to the soil structure. It works by attracting beneficial microbes and earthworms (if your cactus lives outside), aerating the mix and improving water retention in a way that supports the plant's preference for consistent but not excessive moisture.

During the active growth phase, sprinkle your used grounds very sparingly around the base every few weeks. We are talking about a small amount here – a tablespoon (15ml) per 6-inch (15cm) pot will do. Before you use them, however, rinse the grounds first to cut any bitterness. This is important because dry grounds absorb too much moisture and can compact like mud. When you keep up this practice over multiple seasons, you might find it leads to denser foliage and more vigorous reblooming from your Christmas cactus, turning that one-hit wonder into a reliably blooming holiday tradition.

Is It Safe?

Overzealous coffee grounds for Christmas cactus can tip the scales fast, compacting soil into a soggy brick that chokes roots. Those grounds will hold water quite well, and in that shallow pot, that means rot sets in without notice – stems start to soften at the base, blooms drop too early, and the whole thing slumps. It’s the complete opposite of that acidity perk. Too much actually lowers the pH below 5.0, and that locks out the phosphorus needed for those gorgeous flowers.

Gardeners often overlook these subtleties, thinking the decline is just overwatering rather than the actual amendment itself. This is why monitoring for early signs of Christmas cactus problems, like leaf-tip browning or unexplained segment loss, is so important before the damage becomes irreversible.

Watch for any yellowing tips or leggy growth as red flags – that's the plant's way of saying "enough is enough." In more humid homes, mold loves the damp grounds also, turning your windowsill into a gross science project. Pull back if you see it, and flush the pot with room-temp water to reset.

Beyond any physical compaction, the nitrogen bias in uncomposted grounds can skew nutrient ratios to unfavorable conditions. This promotes lush vegetative growth at the expense of flower production. The result is a cactus that looks leggy and sparse-flowered by the next holiday season.

The Best Way to Use Grounds Safely

Start small with coffee grounds for Christmas cactus to test the waters – mix 1-2 tablespoons monthly, then water through to dilute. Composted grounds work even better; they've mellowed to a neutral edge and add microbes without the grit. Layer under the mulch for pots heading outdoors in spring, where rain leaches the acid slow. A balanced approach pairs the grounds with some perlite for drainage – fill the bottom third of the pot to keep things airy. Track pH with strips every six weeks, or a 4-in-1 meter like this from Amazon. If it drifts low, add a pinch of lime.

For ongoing use, limit feedings to once a month during its peak growth. Always make sure to dilute this by mixing the grounds into a larger volume of neutral compost or leaf mold. This helps to buffer any sudden pH fluctuations. Positioning the pot in bright, indirect light helps, too. The acidic boost makes nutrients move around better, and this translates directly to more efficient photosynthesis. Stronger cellular walls result, and the plant can better resist the stresses of those crazy holiday humidity swings.

Other Ways to Get a Bloom Boost

Skip the grounds gamble and reach for something else to fertilize your Christmas cactus. A tiny splash of diluted coffee water or acidifying fertilizers sprayed on the leaves will give that acidic lift without soil mess. It can keep phosphorus flowing for fuller flowers. Azalea fertilizer sticks closer to the mark too, with its low-nitrogen formula that pushes buds over leaves. Organic kelp meal provides another reliable path – sprinkling a half-teaspoon around the base every six weeks supplies trace minerals and growth hormones that enhance resilience against indoor dry air, fostering a more compact habit and prolonged color display.

For a hands-off win, worm castings layer in neutral richness – sprinkle a quarter-inch around the base and let nature handle the rest. A perfectly blended liquid feed for Christmas cacti like this from Amazon dials in the right pH every watering, no measuring required. These swaps build long-term health, turning your cactus into a reliable holiday headliner.

Christmas Cactus Care Essentials

If you’ve ever proudly displayed a “Christmas cactus” in December only to notice it blooms earlier (or later!) you’re not alone. Holiday cacti are some of the most misidentified houseplants on the market, and there’s a good chance the one sitting on your windowsill isn’t a Christmas cactus at all, but (drum roll, please!) a Thanksgiving cactus.

Don’t worry,: the difference is subtle, the care is nearly identical, and once you know what to look for, you’ll be able to identify yours in seconds. Plus, you’ll be able to show off a bit when you flex your newfound knowledge down at your local garden center.

Up for a little horticultural learning, then? Of course you are! Here’s how to tell which one you really have.

1. Look at the Leaves

I know, I know; holiday cacti don’t have “leaves” – or, at least, not in the traditional sense. Instead, they have flattened stem segments called cladodes, and these segments hold the biggest visual clue.

Now, a true Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi) should have leaves with flat, smooth, gently scalloped edges; a little like they’ve been made with a cookie cutter. No sharp points, and absolutely no claws.

A bit like this...

On the flipside, a Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) should have broad, pointed “teeth” or claw-like edges. This is why the Thanksgiving cactus is sometimes nicknamed the “crab cactus”; those cladodes should be pointy and angular, like little crab legs.

Check it out...

2. Note When It Blooms

Bloom timing is the second-biggest giveaway when sussing out if you have a Christmas or Thanksgiving cactus. Of course, this is where most people get confused, because stores often sell Thanksgiving cacti as Christmas cacti, but the clue’s in the name!

Your Thanksgiving cactus should bloom between late October to late November, to coincide with the holiday its named after. True Christmas cacti, like this one from Walmart, bloom between late November to late January (aka closer to Christmas).

They may also bloom a second time in spring if exposed to shorter daylight conditions.

It's Not Your Fault

Don't be upset if you made a mistake; most holiday cacti sold in the U.S. today are Thanksgiving cacti, not Christmas cacti, because they grow faster, ship better, and bloom earlier, which makes them perfect for holiday retail displays.

True Christmas cacti (y’know, the one with rounded segments?) are far less common and usually come from older family collections or specialist growers.

Your Christmas cactus essentials list:

So if you bought yours from a big-box store, grocery store, or garden center? There’s a very good chance it’s the Thanksgiving variety.

Don’t worry, though; both plants enjoy bright, indirect light, both prefer slightly cooler temperatures to set buds, both need short-day (long-night) conditions to bloom, and both like to dry out slightly between waterings. The only real difference is bloom timing, which is pretty helpful to know if you’re trying to plan holiday color.

Still, both are beautiful, resilient, long-lived and easy to encourage into yearly blooms… even if you do find one celebrating the holidays a little early.

Thriving for decades, the long-lived Christmas cactus remains a favorite of both novice growers and seasoned houseplant lovers. The plants' beauty, profuse blooms, and even the claim that they can help purify indoor air all make them ideal for holiday décor and for bringing color to winter spaces. They don’t need endless fussing over either, but if you want them to put on their best show, you’ll need to think about Christmas cactus light requirements right from the start.

A lot of people assume these plants behave like desert cacti, but that’s not the case. They actually come from shady forest environments, so the way they handle light is completely different – more like a woodland plant than a spiny succulent. And while light is especially important, good Christmas cactus care overall – from soil to watering routines – will give you the healthiest plants and the best holiday blooms.

Of course, other factors such as fertilizing and temperature also play their part. But if you’ve ever wondered, do Christmas cacti like sun? or how much light does a Christmas cactus need? then this guide will walk you through the essentials. We’ll also explain when you should put a Christmas cactus in the dark to coax out those much-loved holiday flowers. This advice can be tailored towards other types of holiday cactus too, but bear in mind the timings will be a little different for the Thanksgiving cactus and Easter cactus.

How Much Light Does a Christmas Cactus Need?

Christmas cacti are adaptable and will do fine in most homes, but they do have their limits. Ideally, they should get around 6 to 8 hours of bright, indirect light each day. If they don’t, they can start stretching towards the light, producing leggy growth as well as fewer flowers. To ensure they get enough light, it's worth investing in a plant light, such as the GooingTop LED Grow Light from Amazon.

On the flip side, putting them in direct sun for long spells can lead to other Christmas cactus problems, such as leaf burn.

Placing a pot near a sunny window usually works well, and many growers swear by east- or west-facing spots. That way, the plant gets enough light without being blasted by the strongest rays in the middle of the day. If in doubt, try holding your hand above the plant – if the light feels strong on your skin, it’s probably too much for the cactus as well.

How Does Light Affect Flowering?

Light levels play a big part in making a Christmas cactus bloom. For buds to form, the plants need long nights – roughly 12 to 14 hours of complete darkness – each day. Shorter autumn days usually do this for you, but if you’ve got lamps on in the evenings, the plant might not get the rest it needs.

Simply switching off the lights or moving the plant to a darker room overnight can make all the difference. If that's not possible, then place a breathable black grow bag over the top in the evening – these inexpensive Land Guard bags on Amazon will do the trick, and can then be used in the vegetable garden in summer.

Lower night temperatures – around 50 to 55°F (10 to 13°C) – give them another nudge. These two conditions together mimic what happens in the plant's natural habitat and will usually trigger buds just in time for the holidays. (I find a cool spare room works a treat if you have one.)

Use a digital room thermometer, such as the ThermoPro TP50 from Amazon, which also has a humidity monitor so you can keep an eye on levels. Christmas cacti thrive with 50 to 70% humidity.

Do Christmas Cacti Like Sun?

Yes and no. They like light, but not the kind that beats down all day. Bright, indirect light is their sweet spot. If they get too much sun, you’ll soon see the signs – red or purple tinges on the leaves or scorched patches. Move them somewhere softer and they’ll generally recover without too much fuss.

Don’t panic if you notice a few damaged leaves; most plants bounce back once conditions improve. Learn how to prune a Christmas cactus to deal with any unsightly foliage.

What Kind of Light Does a Christmas Cactus Need?

Think dappled or filtered. A sheer curtain is often enough to diffuse sunlight into the kind of soft glow a Christmas cactus appreciates. Alternatively, try adding some temporary protection in the summer, like the Schrling No Drill Cordless Light Filtering Window Shade, available on Amazon, which attaches to the glass with suckers.

Indirect sunshine not only prevents stress but also keeps growth even and healthy.

When Should You Put a Christmas Cactus in the Dark?

If you want to force blooms, start about 6 to 8 weeks before you want flowers. That means placing the cactus in complete darkness for at least 12 hours each night – many people use a closet or cover the plant with a box. This routine continues until buds form. It might sound fiddly, but it really does work, and the reward is a plant smothered in color right on cue.

How Should Light Levels Change Throughout the Year?

In spring and summer, Christmas cacti enjoy longer days and will put that extra energy into building roots and fresh foliage. Many people like to move them outside during warm weather, but only into a shaded corner of the patio or under a tree where they get bright light without the burn. A hanging basket under a tree is a classic trick – it keeps them happy and adds a splash of greenery outdoors.

As autumn comes around and the nights turn cooler, it’s time to bring them back indoors and start dialing down the light a little. This gradual shift helps reset the plant’s internal clock and sets the stage for winter flowering.

Succulents are fascinating, beautiful, drought-tolerant plants. The varieties are endless, and range from miniature to massive. The thick leaves are usually green or gray-green, but the flowers are stand-out amazing – unusual, bright, unexpected. However, while they are exceptional plants for a backyard or landscape, succulent plants can be pricey in garden stores. Still, you can get free succulents if you know where to look.

My entire backyard in San Francisco is awash in succulents – including over two dozen species from hens and chickens to donkey tails. In fact, I like to call my yard succulent city. While I planted every one of them, I’ve never paid for a succulent in my life. The truth is that every succulent in my yard came into my life after being tossed out or bequeathed to me by someone else. I sometimes think I'm the only one who knows that you never need to buy them. How to get free succulents? Read on for the secret to saving big bucks while filling the garden with gorgeous beauties.

Super Plants that are Super Expensive

Succulents are plants with thick, fleshy foliage, used to hold and store moisture. They are usually native to arid climates or areas with sandy soil. There are many varieties of succulents – over 10,000 different types – in all different sizes and configurations. They are popular houseplants and landscape plants, requiring tip-top drainage, infrequent watering, and correct sun exposure, usually partial or all-day sunshine.

In San Francisco, many folks that live on the Pacific Ocean side of town plant succulents in their gardens. I’ve walked a lot in the neighborhood and was excited to see the different kinds and arrangement ideas – some look like little trees, some like stars, and others like hanging strings of pearls. I decided to fill my backyard with a variety of succulents, so I started taking photos of my favorites. But when I headed for the garden store, I was taken aback by the prices. A small succulent, no bigger than my hand, cost as much as a meal out.

How to Get Free Succulents

When you’re looking for a feebie, it takes a community! One day, as I was walking my dog, I stopped to chat with a neighbor who was pruning back her tall succulents, a type called tree aeonium (Aeonium arboretum). I admired her succulent garden. She urged me to take some clippings, let them dry out a few days, then stick them in the soil. They would grow, she promised. I must admit that I was skeptical, but I tried it. A month later, the cuttings had rooted and were actually growing.

This encounter opened my eyes to the possibility of getting succulents for free, by donations of cuttings that could be propagated. Succulents grow out of their spaces in the garden and need to be cut back regularly – and then often people toss the cuttings. I began keeping my eye out for succulent cuttings left out on the sidewalk, sometimes in cardboard boxes, sometimes on the ground. I noticed that in posts to the neighborhood social media platform, people would announce when they were setting out succulent cuttings.

For a time, I picked up everything I found, let the ends dry out for a day or two, then planted them. My success rate was around 80 percent. I planted them in beds in front of the house, beds behind the house, and in patio containers. I put the tall ones in the background, and the shorter ones in front. In one short year, my backyard flower beds were filled with a beautiful mix of these easy-care plants. I moved from being someone who sought out cuttings to someone who was putting out succulent trimmings and telling the neighbors to help themselves.

Make Your Own Succulent City

If you live in a region where they thrive, you can build your own “succulent city” by getting free succulent plants from neighbors. Every gardener with a yard full of succulents will toss cuttings from time to time. Just take them home, let them sit outside for at least 24 hours, then push the cut end of the stem into soil. If you happen to find pruned off rosettes, just set the rosette on the top of the soil after the drying out period. Alternatively, you can propagate each leaf into a separate plant.

If you’re planning on growing your succulents in containers, grab some Rosy Soil Cactus & Succulent Potting Mix from Walmart. Perhaps you’re looking for something a little unusual and rustic for a vertical gardening arrangement, in which case I love the Philodwell Store’s Rustic Heart Shaped Hanging Planters, available from Amazon, perfect for smaller arrangements of mixed jelly beans and hens and chicks.

So where to find free succulents for your first succulent displays? Just talk to neighbors, and keep your eyes open as you walk around. If you have a neighborhood social media site, ask for succulent cuttings or respond to ads giving them away. Almost any succulent will grow from a cutting. Or they may invite you to snip your own cutting from the parent plant. To inspire you on your journey, here is a shortlist of a few of my favorite succulent varieties that are now thriving in my backyard. All require well-drained soil, occasional water, and a partial sun location.

1. Tree Aeonium

The tree aeonium (Aeonium arboreum), also known as the houseleek tree, was my original succulent rescue. I still love the big bright green rosettes on the plant’s branching stems. You can also get lovely purple types with dramatic rosettes of spoon shaped leaves. This succulent thrives in indirect light and warmer zones where it grows to 6ft (2m) tall.

2. Jade Plant

Oh, how I love my jade plants (Crassula ovata). They look like small trees, with their fleshy leaves growing on woody stems. I have some jades in containers that are a foot (30cm) tall while others, outside, are taller than I am. They also do best in the warmest zones. I have to be completely honest, though – while they are reputed to bring you financial success, I have yet to see that effect.

3. Hens and Chicks

Do you live in a cold-winter area? If so, this mat-forming succulent with its fleshy rosettes is a great succulent for you. It’s amongst the hardiest of the bunch, and can survive down to USDA zone 3. Hens and chicks (Sempervivum tectorum) quickly create a carpet of attractive pointed leaves. The big ones are the hens and the little offshoots are the chicks. They are capable of gorgeous colors depending on region and sunlight exposure, from deep purple through magenta to sunshine gold.

4. Jelly Bean Plant

This cute plant originates in Mexico. Its chubby leaves have bright pinky red tops that look just like jellybeans. Take a cutting, dry it out for a few days, plant it and watch it go. The jelly bean plant (Sedum rubrotinctum) can sprawl a bit, but it will never get higher than your knees. Another succulent for warm zones, it looks especially lovely dangling from a hanging basket, and can produce star shaped blooms in spring.

5. Ghost Plant

This small, upright succulent gets its common name from the color of its pointed leaves. The clumping ghost plant (Graptopetalum paraguayense) grows in rosettes about the size of your palm and can take on a slightly blue color if grown in the shade, or yellowish if grown in the sun. Grow in containers to show off these trailing rosette forms. This plant grows 1ft (30cm) tall and a yard (1m) wide in warm zones.

Add a colorful punch to your landscape with the Dorotheanthus bellidiformis, also known as Livingstone daisy or ice plant, and more currently known as Cleretum bellidiforme. This hardy annual’s low-growing flowers resemble multi-colored daisies. Bright and intensely colored, the blooms range from white to orange to bright magenta. A trailing succulent plant, Livingstone daisies originated in South Africa. They are frost-resistant and drought-tolerant and transform a plain space into a lovely display when planted en masse.

Livingstone Daisy Care

Once established, Livingstone daisy care is quite simple, as the plant can adapt to most climates and is not fussy about soil or water. It does not enjoy long periods of extreme drought or heat but prefers regions with moderate or mild summer heat.

Light

Livingstone daisy plants are an excellent choice for bright, sunny flower beds. Though the plants will benefit from periods of afternoon shade in especially warm regions, full-sun conditions are required for their continued production of blooms throughout summer. Some daisy flowers have even been known to open and close, depending on light conditions. It’s not uncommon for these blooms to close at night or on especially cloudy days.

Water

As a succulent plant, Livingstone daisies are known for their ability to tolerate dry conditions and extended periods of drought. This characteristic makes them an ideal choice for use in waterwise landscapes and xeriscaping. Though new plants require frequent watering until they’re established, larger specimens don’t often need supplemental irrigation. However, it’s important to routinely monitor the plants’ soil moisture levels for signs of water-related stress.

Temperature & Humidity

Livingstone daisies grow best in regions with mild summer temperatures. Though they are tolerant to a wide range of conditions, excess heat and humidity may cause the plants to languish, resulting in their demise. Sunscald or burn is especially problematic in harsh climates. Fortunately for those with less-than-ideal conditions, Livingstone daisies are often considered ideal for decorative pots and container gardening.

Soil

Livingstone daisies are highly adaptable and can thrive under a wide range of soil conditions. including sandy, clay, and high-salinity soils. Despite this, good drainage is considered non-negotiable. The same applies to Livingstone daisies in pots. Plants grown in containers will appreciate the use of a high-quality potting mix that’s been amended to produce light and airy soil.

Fertilizer

Applying fertilizer throughout the growing season is not required. In fact, overfeeding could negatively impact the plant's production of flowers. If fertilizer becomes required, apply a balanced, slow-release feed. Daisies grown in containers may require more consistent feeding with liquid or foliar plant foods.

Problems, Pests & Diseases

Most problems related to these plants are caused by improper watering practices. This includes overwatering and stress brought on by drought-like conditions. Pests seldom visit the plant, though young foliage may be especially susceptible to damage from garden snails or slugs.

Growing Livingstone Daisy From Seed

Livingstone daisies can be grown from seed with relative ease. The best time to begin growing these plants is in spring. Start your seeds indoors under grow lights approximately 4-6 weeks before the last frost date. As the plant will volunteer freely in the garden, many growers successfully sow the seed directly into garden beds after all chances of frost have passed. Within their hardiness zone, seeds may also be sown in the fall. In many instances, Livingstone daisy seedlings will behave as hardy annuals, surviving the winter to begin blooming in early spring.

Propagation

Though propagation by seed is most common, it is possible to multiply Livingstone daisies through cuttings. Stem cuttings can be taken throughout summer, during periods of active growth. Small stem segments can then be placed into a moist potting mix to begin the rooting process. Under ideal conditions, new plants should begin taking root in approximately 1-2 weeks.

Livingstone Daisy Varieties

Here are varieties of Livingstone daisies that we recommend for their beauty and ease of growth:

• Harlequin Mix
• Pastel Mix
• Sparkle Blend

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The Snow on the Mountain (Euphorbia marginata) plant is also known as Mountain Snow spurge. Unlike many of the plants in the spurge family, this ornamental plant is an annual. It is native to North America where it grows wild in temperate regions. The plant’s United States Department of Agriculture hardiness range is 2-11. In Europe, it has naturalized in certain areas, making it a nuisance weed. This Euphorbia is an easy plant to grow and reseeds itself year after year.

Characteristics

This spurge grows on a single stem 1-3 feet ( .3-.9 m.) tall, with many branches. The young leaves are green but develop white margins. Mature variegated foliage can turn entirely white. From mid-summer into fall, small greenish yellow flowers form, flanked by bright, white bracts. While Snow on the Mountain flowers are not showy, the bracts highlight their form and make an attractive display. The sap from the plant can be extremely irritating to skin. It is used as an ornamental, part of a meadow planting, and in containers. Groundcover Snow on the Mountain provides a vertical cover that attracts pollinators and conserves moisture during the growing months.

Light

The Euphorbia Snow on the Mountain is native to the prairies from Minnesota and the Dakotas, to Colorado and Texas. In the wild it occurs in waste sites, prairies, and roadsides, generally in areas with little tree cover. In the garden, plant Snow on the Mountain in areas with at least 6 hours of sunlight. The plants will get leggy in too much shade, but they do prefer some shading during the scorching midday light.

Water

In the wild, this spurge can thrive in sites with little water during the growing season. In the garden, it may be grown in either moist or dry sites, provided the soil is well draining. Newly installed plants or seedlings benefit from regular watering until the plant has matured.

Temperature & Humidity

Euphorbia generally don’t need a lot of humidity, but they can tolerate such conditions. The ideal temperature range for Snow on the Mountain plant is 65-80 F. (18-27 C.). Once the cool temperatures of fall come in, the plant will begin to die back.

Soil

Euphorbia plants require very well-drained soil. This variety is tolerant of clay, limestone, sandy, chalky, and loam soils. In the wild they tend to grow in very poor soils, rocky, with little nutrient content.

Fertilizer

Spurge does not need supplemental feeding to grow, but a spring application of nitrogen plant fertilizer will fuel the development of the beautifully variegated leaves. Too much fertilizer will cause lengthening of stems and a rangy appearance.

Problems, Pests & Diseases

Snow on the Mountain has no serious pest or disease issues. Plants grown in boggy sites will get root rot. Root rot in garden plants is not as common as in houseplants, but it is still a possibility. Occasionally, aphids can be a problem. The sap is extremely irritating and gloves should be used when working with the plant. Most animals do not eat the plant as it is toxic, but mourning doves eat the seeds with no ill effect. Honey bees who collect the plant’s nectar make honey that is called “jalapeño honey” because it burns the throat.

How to Plant Snow on the Mountain

Plant Euphorbia marginata in well-draining soil, either in the ground or in containers. Keep the soil moderately moist while the plant is establishing.

Pruning

The Euphorbia only needs pruning to remove damaged stems. It can become a nuisance due to self seeding, so in areas of concern, prune off the flowers as they occur to prevent seed set.

Propagation

Sow seeds directly in the ground after it is workable, or start them indoors 6-8 weeks before the last expected frost. Expect germination in 10-14 days where temperatures are 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit ( 18-24 C.). Germination is considered to be erratic, so it is a good idea to plant more seeds than desired plants.

Is The Snow On The Mountain Plant Invasive?

In ideal conditions, this spurge will reseed itself voraciously. Because of this, it is considered a plant of concern in non-native ranges. In the garden, it can take over an area. This is a desirable situation for using it as ground cover. Snow on the Mountain might be used for small, single plantings, though, and it can spread more than the gardener wants.

How to Get Rid of Snow on the Mountain

Hand digging is useful to remove a few plants, but in areas where the spurge has taken over, a foliar herbicide may be used. Introduce a surfactant to the mixture to ensure coating of the leaves. Alternatively, the area may be covered in black plastic for several months to kill off the plants.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi) is a beloved holiday plant that, while generally resilient and trouble-free, can sometimes suffer issues. At best, the most common Christmas cactus problems may result in a poor appearance or loss of flowers; but in the worst cases, plants may suffer a decline in health and untimely demise.

Whether your plant is experiencing issues with incorrect Christmas cactus care, disease, pests, or other problems, the sooner you pinpoint the most likely culprit, the quicker you can solve the issue and get your plant back to its blooming loveliness.

While the Christmas cactus is one of the most popular types of holiday cactus, the advice in this guide can be applied to other varieties. Thanksgiving cactus care and Easter cactus care are similar and the plants may be affected by the same issues.

How to Diagnose Christmas Cactus Problems

If your plant is dropping excess plant material, is discolored, fails to produce new leaves and flowers, or has leaves that are puckered or faded, it is stressed.

Many Christmas cactus problems can mimic other issues, so identifying whether you have difficulties with care, disease, or pests can be challenging and a process of elimination.

Take a step back to examine the plant. Firstly, evaluate the cultural care and soil situation. If the plant has correct light and water, and the soil is well-draining and sterile, you can probably move on to pests and disease.

Below we've outlined the key symptoms to spot and how to cure affected plants.

1. Lack of Flowers

Making a Christmas cactus bloom is a priority for most indoor gardeners. The succulents require a plant dormancy period to encourage flowering, which can be created within the home.

In October – about eight weeks before Christmas – move the plant to a slightly cooler spot if necessary. The optimal Christmas cactus temperature is between 60 and 68°F (15 to 20°C).

During the dormancy period, the plant must receive at least 13 hours of total darkness each night – cover it with a box if necessary.

In the daytime, the plant should receive bright, but indirect light. Pale stems and the failure to produce blooms are often a result of inadequate sunlight.

2. Limp and Wilting Cactus

Christmas cactus wilting – often followed by dropping leaves – is a common symptom of incorrect watering.

Christmas cactus watering is a delicate balance. If the soil is very dry, then underwatering is likely the culprit. Give the soil a good drenching and allow it all to drain through.

On the other hand, overly wet soil can result in root rot, which will cause wilting and often yellow leaves. The plant may also smell bad.

You need to act fast to save an overwatered Christmas cactus. Get rid of any standing water, then remove the plant from its container. If any stems appear to have gone soft, then prune them away. Rinse the plant's roots and allow it to dry out for a day on the counter. The following day, repotting the Christmas cactus will help it to recover. Avoid watering for a day or two before starting a new, more conservative watering regime.

In the future, check the soil before watering. Push your finger down to the knuckle to check, and only water when the top inch or so feels dry. If in doubt, invest in a soil meter to test moisture levels and avoid incorrect watering in the future.

3. Leaves Turning Purple or Red

If your Christmas cactus is turning purple or red, then it can be a sign something isn't right. A slight purplish hue to the leaves is normal, but a more noticeable color change may signal poor nutrition.

It is necessary to feed plants throughout the growing season, otherwise they are less likely to flower. The best Christmas cactus fertilizer to use between spring and summer is a balanced houseplant feed, diluted to half strength. Apply once a month at the time of watering. In the fall, you can either stop fertilizing or switch to a low-nitrogen product that won't impede flowering.

As well as using a general houseplant fertilizer, it may be helpful to occasionally feed Christmas cacti with Epsom salts – dilute one teaspoon (5ml) in one gallon of water. This is because the plants have higher magnesium needs than most plants. Apply once a month throughout spring and summer, but not at the same time as fertilizing.

If you have been regularly feeding your Christmas cactus but leaves are turning purple or red, then the plant may be rootbound or the potting soil may be depleted, preventing the absorption of nutrients. Repot into a container the next size up, using a suitable Christmas cactus soil mix, containing perlite or sand to aid drainage.

One other possible culprit of purple and red leaves might be excessive light levels. If the plant receives too much direct light during the summer months, then the leaves may take on a purple tinge. Move the plant to a place where it receives bright but indirect light.

4. Disease

Unfortunately, there are several Christmas cactus diseases that may pose a threat to your plant. The majority of these are fungal, although bacterial disease can occur.

Fungal diseases such as fusarium, pythium, and phytophthora all cause lesions and rot. Look out for discolored leaves, browning stems, mold, and spots. Rather than try to nail down which fungal disease is present, take steps that would eradicate any of these.

As a rule, if a rotting or fungal disease is present, you can try a fungicide applied to the soil as a drench. You could also remove the plant, trim away any diseased roots, disinfect a pot, and repot it in sanitized soil. If the plant continues to decline and become soft and rotten at the soil line, it probably can’t be saved.

Cultural care is key to preventing disease in these plants. A healthy plant will usually not develop disease issues unless the soil is infected or there is an infected plant nearby. Avoiding watering above the plant can keep any pathogen in the soil from splattering onto the plant. Water at the soil line with a soft stream of water.

Use sterile potting mix where possible, which will have killed any pathogens harbored therein. Provide adequate ventilation and airflow to prevent moisture build-up on the stems and leaves. Avoid injuring the plant which can lead to entryways for disease.

5. Root Rot

Christmas cactus root rot is caused by overwatering, and it can quickly prove fatal to plants. The disease may first present itself with yellowing and dropping leaves, but to diagnose the issue you need to check the roots.

Depending on the extent of the root rot, the roots will have begun to blacken, or be slimy with brown decay. The plant and soil will likely have an unpleasant smell.

If you catch root rot early, you might be able to save the plant by trimming and cleaning infected roots, allowing the plant to dry out, then repotting. However, if the disease has progressed, then it's likely a lost cause. If part of the plant appears healthy, then learn how to propagate Christmas cactus, take some cuttings, and discard the plant.

6. Yellow Leaves

A Christmas cactus with yellow leaves is frustrating as several causes can be behind the issue. It's usually a process of elimination.

The most serious culprits are root rot or disease, so check for these and act fast to treat plants where affected. When plants are overwatered, this will quickly lead to root rot.

While Christmas cacti like their roots to be fairly confined, if they are rootbound plants may struggle to take enough nutrients from the soil. Likewise, a lack of fertilizing may also be the issue.

Too much direct sunlight during the warmer months can give the leaves a yellow, lackluster appearance, so if that is the suspected cause, then move the plant to a spot where it receives bright indirect light.

7. Dropping Leaves

A Christmas cactus dropping leaves is usually caused by one of two issues. Too much moisture is the biggest culprit and is easy to spot if the shedding is accompanied by yellowing leaves.

As well as overwatering, too much moisture can be caused by poorly draining, impacted soil, so where all else fails repot the plant.

The other problem affecting leaves is incorrect temperature. Too much heat or cold can cause leaves to drop. In general, Christmas cacti thrive in temperatures of 70 to 80°F (21-27°C) during spring and summer, and around 10°F cooler over fall and winter.

Try to minimize sudden temperature changes, and avoid placing the plant close to air vents or heating outlets.

Some leaf drop is normal when bringing outdoor Christmas cactus plants back indoors after summer. They should soon recover with a little TLC.

8. Bud Drop

Buds falling off Christmas cactus plants is one of the most common issues to frustrate growers, resulting in the loss of flowers right before the finishing line.

Common culprits are under or over-watering, lack of humidity, temperature changes, drafty conditions, and excessive heat.

Incorrect lighting levels may halt the production of buds, so ensure the plant is receiving at least 13 dark hours each night during fall and winter.

Too much fertilizer may also be to blame, as it can force the plant to put on an abundance of blooms that it has to drop some to make way for more.

9. Flowers Wilting or Falling Off

Christmas cactus flowers falling off, usually following a brief period of wilting, is often caused by underwatering. While plants hate to have soggy roots, they do need moisture to thrive and flower.

Usually, the best method of watering Christmas cacti is to soak the soil when dry and let it drain through. However, it's best to avoid deep watering while the plant is flowering, as it can cause blooms to wilt and fall off. Avoid fertilizing at this time too.

A sudden temperature change may shock the plant causing flowers to drop, so avoid moving it in the build-up to blooming.

Another possible culprit is a lack of humidity. As tropical plants, Christmas cacti prefer a fairly humid environment. You can raise humidity for houseplants by placing the pot on top of a tray of pebbles filled with water – but don't let the soil sit in the water.

10. Pests

If you move your plant outdoors in the warm weather, you may be inviting several Christmas cactus pests to infest the plant. Mealybugs and scale are often found on outdoor cacti. Mealybugs show up as white, cotton-like masses in the leaf axils, while scale is a hard-bodied, oval to round, insect in various colors.

They can cause weakened plants, stunted growth, and in severe infestations, plant parts begin to die and fall away.

Spray with insecticidal soap every 7-10 days or rub the infected plant parts with a cotton ball dipped in alcohol to wipe them away. Soil or fungus gnats are common even indoors, especially when the soil is overwatered.

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Holiday cacti are wonderful winter-flowering plants that are easy to care for, but Christmas cactus watering has to be done correctly for optimal health and seasonal blooms. New owners may wonder how often to water Christmas cactus plants. The answer will vary by the plant's size, location, ambient moisture levels, and soil type. These cacti aren’t desert specimens and have specialized watering needs to keep them happy and blooming.

Regular watering is a crucial aspect of Christmas cactus care. As with other types of holiday cactus, the right moisture balance is key to making a Christmas cactus bloom. If you aren't sure whether you have a Christmas cactus, Thanksgiving cactus, or Easter cactus, then you'll be relieved to know that their watering requirements are very similar.

In their native tropical rainforests of Brazil, Christmas cacti are epiphyte plants that grow in the crotches of trees or rocky crevasses. They receive their moisture from the humid air, rainfall, and morning dew dripping down from the tree canopy. In this way they are very different from their desert cacti cousins, who have a high drought tolerance and can go long periods without water.

How Often to Water Christmas Cactus Plants

How often to water a Christmas cactus is a common question. These plants prefer fairly high humidity and moist, although not soggy soil. The ideal Christmas cactus soil mix should be fairly peaty with vermiculite or perlite to help hold moisture.

In the winter the plant needs water every three or four weeks. But during the blooming period, it requires more frequent moisture and soil should not be allowed to dry out to encourage prolonged flowering. During the growing seasons of spring and summer, water the plant on average every two weeks.

This schedule is subject to soil type, where the plant is growing, and other factors. For example, if the plant is in garden soil, it will dry out more quickly and need more frequent watering. If the cactus is near a drying heating vent, it will also need to be irrigated more often.

While guidelines on how often to water a Christmas cactus are helpful, the best gauge is to use your finger to detect when the soil is dry a couple of inches (5cm) down into the soil.

How to Water a Christmas Cactus

While these plants like moderately moist soil, they cannot tolerate being waterlogged – overwatering leads to various Christmas cactus problems. Move the container to the tub or sink when you water. Remove the saucer and let all the excess water percolate through the drainage holes. It is good to soak the soil to let it evacuate excess salts that build up from fertilizing.

Alternatively, you can put the plant in the shower every month and add enough water to the soil surface that it percolates out in a plentiful supply.

Many municipal tap water supplies have chemicals and minerals that the plant cannot tolerate. They are sensitive to chlorine and lime which are often in our tap water. Rainwater, distilled, or filtered water are ideal. You may also opt to let the tap water sit out overnight to off-gas.

From late winter to late summer, feed plants monthly during regular watering. The ideal Christmas cactus fertilizer is a bloom formula houseplant feed or a half-strength water-soluble formula, such as 20-20-20 or 20-10-20.

How Much Water Does a Christmas Cactus Need?

The answer depends on how large the plant is and the container size. Larger plants will need much more water than young, small cacti. In large containers, they will need more than beginner nursery pots. The touch test is the most reliable gauge of whether the plant needs watering.

Overall, water until the moisture is leaching heavily from the drainage holes, then allow it to drain through. This will ensure the plant is not in soggy soil and will also help clean the soil of built-up salts.

When to Stop Watering Christmas Cactus

This plant likes to be evenly moist at all times. It should not be allowed to dry out completely. In the winter, after blooming, Christmas cactus plants will need much less water but they should still be irrigated every three or four weeks. During the growing season, they will need much more water.

If the plant is brought outdoors for the summer, winds and sun will dry out the container much more quickly. Such plants will need watering at least twice as much as plants housed indoors.

How to Spot and Avoid Over or Underwatering

An underwatered Christmas cactus will have dry soil to the touch even at the drainage holes. Look out for Christmas cactus wilting, shriveled and puckered leaves, and wrinkled stem segments. Plant parts can start falling off in extreme cases. Increase watering frequency and use the finger test daily to ensure the soil doesn't dry out too much.

If your plant is drying out too quickly, then learn how to repot a Christmas cactus and move it up a container size. Christmas cacti like to be a bit potbound but should be repotted every two to three years.

Watch out for Christmas cactus diseases in overwatered plants. Signs include soft stems, yellow leaves, and leaf drop. In the worst cases, the plant will rot at the soil line and roots could develop fungal disease. Christmas cactus root rot can quickly be fatal, so if you see any putrid, discolored, or otherwise damaged roots, prune them out with sanitized shears.

Overwatered Christmas cactus care often includes repotting. Before you repot, sanitize the container with 1 part bleach to 9 parts water. Use pasteurized soil if possible to avoid introducing pathogens that will thrive in moist soil.

Should I Mist My Christmas Cactus​?

Christmas cactus is a tropical plant that naturally grows in a humid environment – 50-60% is ideal. Occasional misting won't do any harm but has little effect on raising humidity for houseplants. Instead, invest in a houseplant humidifier or place a tray of pebbles filled with water beneath the container.

Plants also like warmth. The ideal nighttime Christmas cactus temperature is 60-65°F (15-18°C) with a cooler period of about 50°F (10°C) in October to encourage blooms in time for the holidays. Average room temperatures during the day will enable plants to thrive.

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The Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) is a sought-after holiday plant prized for its beautiful flowers which look their best during November. Propagating a Thanksgiving cactus is fairly straightforward, but you do need to choose the best method and follow a few key steps to ensure success.

Creating more plants costs nothing besides a few pots and some potting mix, so it’s a great way to make gifts to give to loved ones around the holidays. Pass on a few simple Thanksgiving cactus care tips and your recipients will be able to enjoy their new plants for years to come.

A close relative of the equally popular Christmas cactus, Schlumbergera truncata is one of the main types of holiday cactus – the other key variety being the spring-flowering Easter cactus. All three can be propagated using similar methods, but make sure you know what you have before proceeding.

When to Propagate a Thanksgiving Cactus

Spring or early summer is the best time to propagate, as the plant’s natural growth cycle supports root development at this time. Waiting until spring, which is also the best time for repotting Thanksgiving cactus, will produce small plants in time for the holidays.

However, if you just can’t wait, then don't – a Thanksgiving cactus can be successfully propagated at any time of year. But you will have better results if you wait until the plant has finished blooming.

Which Propagation Method is Best?

There are two main methods to propagate a Thanksgiving cactus: rooting stem cuttings or through root division.

Propagating stem cuttings in potting mix is the most common method as it is easy and reliable, with a high success rate. However, root division is often used for larger, more mature plants.

Some growers enjoy propagating Thanksgiving cactus cuttings in water. This simple method involves placing the cuttings in a glass of water, supported by string or plastic wrap, and waiting to see if roots form. While it’s fun and easy to do, it the method has a lower success rate than using soil.

How to Propagate a Thanksgiving Cactus with Cuttings

Propagating Thanksgiving cactus through stem cuttings is straightforward, and this method is usually the most successful. Make sure you use clean, sharp scissors or pruning shears to minimize the risk of disease.

1. Select a healthy stem with two or three segments (each segment looks like a small, flat, leaf-like pad) and gently twist or cut it from the plant just below the joint. Take several cuttings to maximize your chances of success.
2. Place the cuttings on a paper towel or dry surface in indirect light for a day or two, to allow the cut end to callous. This reduces the chance of rot once planted.

3. Prepare the potting mix – use a well-draining product, such as a cactus or succulent mix, or make a blend of regular potting soil with perlite or sand (50:50 ratio). Moisten the soil slightly, but avoid making it too wet.

4. Insert the cut end of each segment about a quarter to a half inch into the soil. Gently press the soil around it to support the cutting. Plant multiple cuttings together in the same pot to increase propagation success.
5. Place the pot in a warm, bright area with indirect sunlight, and water lightly every few days to keep the soil slightly moist. Avoid overwatering to prevent rot.

6. Roots usually begin to form within 2-4 weeks. To check progress, gently tug on the cuttings to check for resistance, which indicates roots are forming. Once the cuttings are well-rooted and show signs of new growth, you can repot them into slightly larger individual containers.

Propagating by Root Division

Root division is an option for mature, larger Thanksgiving cacti with multiple growth points and established roots. This method is less common but can be successful if you have a well-rooted, large plant that you want to split. Bear in mind root division can place more stress on the plant than taking cuttings.

1. Water the Thanksgiving cactus a day before dividing to make the soil soft and reduce root stress.
2. The next day, carefully take the plant out of its container, holding it near the base to avoid breaking the stems. Gently pull the plant into sections with your hands, or use a sharp, clean knife to divide it if the root ball is dense. Each divided section should have roots attached and a few healthy segments.

3. Plant each section in a separate pot with fresh, slightly moistened cactus or succulent soil. Firm the soil gently around the root base.
4. Place the newly potted divisions in indirect light, and water sparingly until they establish themselves in their new pots. Avoid fertilizing for a few weeks to allow roots to adjust.

Caring for Your New Plants

To help your new Thanksgiving cactus plants thrive, keep them at temperatures between 60-70°F (15-21°C), and check humidity levels. Schlumbergera truncata is an epiphyte plant that takes moisture from the air and thrives in 50-60% humidity.

You can increase humidity for houseplants using a houseplant humidifier or by placing the pots on top of a tray of pebbles filled with water. Although, the soil and roots should not be in contact with the water.

Water Thanksgiving cactus plants once or twice a week, when the potting mix has dried out. Only water once the top couple of inches feels dry.

Fertilize plants once a month between early spring and late summer using houseplant feed diluted to half strength.

It will take a year or two for your plants to mature before they will start flowering.

True to their namesake, Thanksgiving cactus plants – Schlumbergera truncata – are a popular option for indoor growers throughout fall and winter. These cacti thrive as houseplants and can even bloom under growing conditions indoors. As the days grow shorter in fall, gardeners can expect these unique plants to produce impressive colorful blooms that will brighten indoor spaces and impress holiday guests.

Though Thanksgiving cactus care is generally easy, even the most established plants will require occasional maintenance. Repotting a Thanksgiving cactus is a vital aspect, and can help to revitalize growth and even promote bloom.

The Thanksgiving cactus is one of the most popular holiday cactus varieties and is closely related to the Christmas cactus. Both plants have similar care and repotting requirements but bloom at slightly different times.

When to Repot a Thanksgiving Cactus

On average, Thanksgiving cactus plants require repotting once every 3-5 years. The best time to do it is in the winter, just after flowering has ceased. However, if you have observed a slight decline in plant health, then it is fine to repot them at any time of year.

Common Thanksgiving cactus problems include drooping, loss of flowers, and stunted growth. These symptoms may indicate that the soil has been depleted of nutrients. Wilting plants, or those which have started to drop buds, may be of special concern. This could indicate root rot, stem rot, or damage from houseplant pests.

Before repotting, however, you should consider other possible issues with the plant as these symptoms are often a result of other problems. First, confirm that the plant’s specific requirements for growth have been met. This includes adequate exposure to light, the correct temperature, and even attention to proper watering and fertilization routines.

How To Repot Thanksgiving Cactus Plants

Repotting a Thanksgiving cactus can be a somewhat strenuous task. Since many plants can grow to be quite large, you should take care to avoid damaging fragile stems. The plants have sharp spines, so high-quality gardening gloves are essential.

1. Carefully remove the Thanksgiving cactus from its pot, avoiding contact with its spines.
2. Take away any excess soil from the root ball of the plant.
3. Check for any plant matter that is dead, weak, or shows signs of disease – remove this with sharp, sterilized hand pruners.
4. Choose a pot an inch or two bigger in diameter than the old container, with generous drainage holes at the bottom. If you wish to use a decorative plant pot without drainage holes, then use a plastic inner pot with holes.
5. Repot the plant into new soil, making certain to use a specially formulated cactus potting soil. These mixes drain exceptionally well and often contain a combination of perlite and peat moss.
6. Water well, allowing the pot to drain through. After an initial watering, containers should be watered sparingly until the plant shows noticeable signs of new growth.

Repotting is an ideal time to propagate a Thanksgiving cactus, enabling you to make new plants to share with friends and family.

The process involves pinching or cutting off stem sections, then allowing the raw end to form a callus before pushing the stem into a new container with moist potting soil. Securing a clear plastic bag over the top will help to keep in moisture until the cutting forms new roots.

In a few weeks, the cutting should root, and within a few months, you will have an attractive new plant that may flower within a year.

Do Thanksgiving Cacti Like to Be Root Bound?

Unlike some plants, which may struggle to grow when confined to smaller containers, Thanksgiving cacti often prefer that their roots are slightly bound. Allowing several growing seasons to pass between repotting helps established plants to maintain vigor.

Though these cacti will thrive under these conditions, occasional repotting is still necessary as a means to revitalize soil health and manage plant growth.

Plants that are left undisturbed for an extended period may begin to suffer from damage or complete root loss. Once the health of the plant’s root system has started to decline, it may become much more difficult to revive stressed cacti.

Holiday plants make excellent gifts and run the gamut from Christmas cacti to Easter lily cactus. Echinopsis oxygona is a wonderful example of a flowering cactus. It responds to warmer days and longer day hours by producing a tropical bloom that’s larger than the diameter of the small spherical body of the plant. With proper care and the right situation in the home, Echinopsis Easter lily cactus might provide you with an early season bloom year after year.

Easter Lily Cactus Care

Easter lily cactus is a small plant, only measuring 1 foot (.3 m.) in height when fully mature. The body of the plant is a little, rounded clump with numerous ribs arranged around the main form. It produces an early season bloom of funnel-shaped flowers that emit a sweet scent. Although they are closely related, Echinopsis oxygona is not the same cactus plant as Echinopsis eyriessi, which also produces beautiful flowers around early spring.

Light

The Easter lily cactus is native to Bolivia, Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, and Southern Brazil. In these climates, it receives plenty of sun throughout the year. In the home, the plant should be placed in a southern or western-facing window, just a bit away from the harshest rays of the day. If there’s inadequate light in the home, use a plant light to supplement the bright exposure it receives. If you want to move the plant outdoors in summer, situate it where it gets at least 8 hours of sun daily.

Water

Cacti are often thought of as drought-tolerant. Easter lily cactus is no exception, but the best growth will occur when it is kept moderately moist. Like most desert plants, excessively wet soil will cause the plant to develop root issues. Make sure the potting soil is well draining, the container has plenty of holes, and use your hands to determine when the soil is dry. When the soil is dry to the touch, water thoroughly and then wait to irrigate until the soil is dry again. Cacti can be sensitive to some municipal water supplies. Always allow your tap water to stand for 24 hours before using it on the plant.

Temperature and Humidity

Easter lily cactus is native to warm regions and prefers temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (18-24 C). It prefers low humidity and will not perform well in humid regions. Excessive humidity is as bad as overwatering and can cause fungal diseases and rot.

Soil

Use a good cactus or succulent soil when growing this plant. Easter lily cactus care starts with the proper soil which will drain readily and have a loose texture. You can make your own soil with 3 parts soil and 2 parts sand or other grit.

Fertilizer

Cactus don’t need much fertilizer, since they are naturally adapted to areas with low nutrient soils, However, Easter lily cactus does flower best if you give the plant a diluted liquid feeding in late winter to early spring of a balanced houseplant food, or a cactus formula. Make sure to dilute it by half.

Problems, Pests, and Diseases

Indoor plants have few problems if they have enough light, the right soil, and are not overwatered. Soggy soil causes root rot. If you choose to move the plant outside during the summer, scale, mealybugs, and other pests may find their way onto your plant. Fungal diseases are most prevalent when the soil does not drain well or when watering is heavy-handed.

Pruning

This plant does not need pruning. The flower will naturally fall off when it is spent, or you can pluck it off manually.

Propagation

Like most ribbed cacti, this plant will produce offsets or pups as it matures. These may be carefully divided from the parent plant and potted up separately as new plants.

Repotting

Echinopsis oxygona likes to be a bit pot-bound. It should be repotted every couple of years to refresh the soil, but it doesn’t need a larger pot every time. Only increase the size of the container when the body of the plant touches the sides of the pot.

Varieties

There are over 100 varieties of Echinopsis, but only 1 Easter lily cactus. Many of the Echinopsis species do develop similar, tropical, scented, large flowers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Succulents are known for their stoicism and ease of care. They require little water and fertilizer compared to the average plant, but they do need a bit of TLC. Give your succulents a bit of supplemental feeding during the growth seasons, and they will reward you with brilliant blooms and gorgeous greenery.

Making your own succulent plant food is as simple as opening the kitchen cupboards. These ingredients will be non-toxic, easy to formulate, and accessible to any gardener. Our favorite “recipes” for DIY succulent fertilizers are effective, often dual-purpose, and quick to whip up, while checking the box on organic.

When to Fertilize Succulents

Succulents enter a dormant state when light levels decline and temperatures cool. In this state, they need much less water and no supplemental feeding. The usual dormancy period is fall through winter, though it varies depending on local conditions.

Begin fertilizing succulents in early spring. Dilute any liquid fertilizer by half to avoid burning the sensitive roots. Feed succulents once per month in the active growing season. Suspend feeding at the end of summer. 

Natural Ingredients For Fertilizing Succulents

Most of us know that cycling kitchen waste through a municipal recycling program or tossing it into our compost bins is a recommended practice. By avoiding tossing kitchen waste into the general bin, we can help prevent landfill accumulations, while contributing towards rich compost.

Natural materials such as orange peels, carrot tops, and other unused parts of our produce will rot into a beautiful, natural addition for plants. Compost has a host of benefits, one of which is as a fertilizer.

A compost tumbler, three-bin system, vermicomposting, or just a pile of organic matter will all produce deep, dark, nutrient-rich soil that may be used as a tea, top dress, or mixed into potting or garden soil. 

Discover common ingredients for fertilizing succulents you may already have at home.

Banana Peels

We don’t eat banana peel, but it is rich in calcium: one of the macro-nutrients required for good root establishment. The peel is also high in magnesium, which helps drive photosynthesis; phosphorus, a flowering and fruiting nutrient; and potassium, which is good for overall plant health.

Banana peel also contains sulfur, which is released as the peel rots and helps repel pests. You can dry the peel and crush or blend it into a powder which can be added to the soil or made into a tea. 

Coffee Grounds

Used coffee grounds bear many plant nutrients and minerals. They contain quite a lot of nitrogen, an essential nutrient for leafy plant growth. They also have potassium and phosphorus, as well as the micro-nutrients zinc, copper, iron, magnesium, boron, and calcium.

Coffee grounds may be mixed into the soil, soaked in water to make a tea, or simply top-dressed around the root zone of the succulent. 

Eggshells

Eggshells are another discarded item that has plant nutrient benefits. Wash and dry the shell so it doesn’t get smelly. Then crush it up and apply it to the soil.

Eggshells, unsurprisingly, contain calcium, but they also have potassium, phosphorus, sodium, and magnesium in small amounts.

The breakdown of eggshells is very slow, so this is a great way to enhance plant health gradually. Consider it a natural time-release fertilizer. 

Worm Castings

If you are into vermicomposting, you will have worm castings. These are left behind when worms have digested the kitchen scraps and make a nutrient-dense, but gentle fertilizer. Castings can be mixed into soil or made into a tea.

Setting up worm composting is quite easy and the worms will reduce natural, organic waste to a material that is very beneficial to plants. Use a 1:4 ratio of castings to soil. 

Seaweed Extract

Seaweed has many benefits in the garden, and it also contains many valuable nutrients. You can make your own seaweed fertilzer if you have access to seaweed. Alternatively, purchase a bottle of seaweed extract.

To make your own, soak the seaweed in water for 2-3 weeks. Strain out the seaweed and store the liquid in a bottle in a cool, dark location. Dilute the seaweed extract to 1:10 and mix with water before feeding your succulents.

Combining Ingredients To Make DIY Succulent Fertilizer

Combining items will often result in a more nutritionally rounded fertilizer. Because some items contain mostly nitrogen or another macro-nutrient, mixing in something else will provide more balanced nutrient and mineral needs.

DIY Eggshell and Bone Meal Succulent Recipe

Bone meal fertilizer is used to increase phosphorus – an essential nutrient needed for succulents to flower.

Mix 2 parts eggshell with 1 part bone meal and 2 parts water. Let this soak together for a day. Dilute this at a 4:1 ratio with more water before watering the roots of the plant.

DIY Coffee Ground and Epsom Salt Fertilizer

While coffee grounds have the nitrogen needed to drive stem and leaf growth, Epsom salts can encourage flowering. Mix together 1 part coffee grounds with ½ part Epsom salts. Dilute this in half when using it to fertilize succulents. Apply during the early part of the growing season once per month to promote blooming.

DIY All-Nutrient Fertilizer

A formula that is balanced and provides all necessary nutrients and minerals combined with soil softener and natural fungicide is perfect for succulents. You will need:

• Spent tea leaves (2 parts)
• Neem powder (0.5 parts)
• Banana peel powder (0.5 parts) 
• Compost (1 part) 
• Mustard cake powder (0.25 parts)

Mix these together and add it to the upper surface of the soil. Water it in well. Do this once per month during the growing season. 

Succulents and cacti are easy to grow and make excellent houseplants. When we think of these plants, we mostly consider them desert varieties, but some grow in tropical regions. 

The succulent group of plants, including cacti, covers thousands of species. Headlining these are specific genera.

Most succulents bloom in the wild; however, houseplants often do not produce flowers because it is hard to mimic their natural growing conditions in the home. Yet when flowering succulents do produce blooms, they are show-stopping. 

While many succulent flowers do not smell much, some have a fantastic olfactory appeal, with bold flowers to match. 

Try some of our recommendations for fragrant flowering cacti and other succulents, as well as our tips on how to promote blooms. 

1. Mesembryanthemum

Also known as mimicry plants, Mesembryanthemum species are small, stout plants that look like rocks and stones.

Lithops are of the better-known varieties. These look like little cleft rocks and come in shades of gray, green, pink, and other colors found in rocks.

The flowers are quite large in comparison to the plant and are brightly colored. They are also sweetly scented.

2. Senecio

String of pearls comes to mind when I think of the Senecio genus. The stems tumble appealingly downward, decorated with round, green leaves. 

The flowers can be difficult to promote, but when they come they are slightly tinged with a cinnamon scent. 

Scented groundsel is another fragrant bloomer, while Senecio kleiniiformis has lemon-scented, yellow flowers.

3. Cereus

Night-blooming Cereus is a classic among scented cacti. It isn’t much to look at until around June when flower buds begin to form. 

The flowers open around 8-9 in the evening and are at their peak around midnight. For night owls, the display and scent are spectacular. By morning, the flowers are all gone.

4. Echeveria

These small succulents are appealing without blooms. Echeveria form in a tight rosette and come in a host of pastel hues.

Echeveria Elegans ‘Raspberry Ice’, has flowers that smell of vanilla ice cream. The scent is enough to make you want to grab the tub from the freezer and have a bowl.

5. Plectranthus

This little guy is also known as the Vicks plant. This is because when you gently caress the leaves, a menthol aroma is released. 

Plectranthus flowers are not the scented part of this plant – the aroma is emitted year-round from the stems and leaves.

Several other species in this genera also have strongly scented leaves.

6. Echinopsis

There are many species in the Echinopsis group, of which a wide variety emit pleasant scents. 

One species of note is the Easter Lily cactus, named after its large flowers that smell similar to lilies.

There are several other species, such as hedgehog cactus and sea urchin cactus, with brilliant flowers that produce a strong, heavenly scent. E. viridiflorus has a citrus aroma, while E. subdenudata smells a bit like cilantro.

7. Crassula

Most Crassula have flat, fuzzy, gray to gray-green leaves. They produce clusters of tiny flowers in hues of pink to yellow. The scent is sweet and honey-like. 

C. fascicularis is very fragrant, as is C. falcate. Crassula muscosa is a strongly scented bloomer even though the flowers are so tiny they are hardly noticeable.

8. Sedum

Sedum are very common succulents that may be found as houseplants and outdoor specimens. Their forms vary from rosette to trailing but each species produces brightly colored blooms.

Most of the varieties have a fruity aroma, similar to a fruited breakfast cereal.

The incredible diversity of form, color, and size in the Sedum family means there is something for everyone, accompanied by a delightful scent.

Getting succulents and cacti to bloom

Many more succulents and cacti produce amazingly perfumed flowers, such as Neochilenia, Copiapoa, and Discocactus.

Even without flowers, many succulent species have a natural cucumber-like scent. It is a refreshing and light odor that must be enjoyed close up.

If you are impatiently waiting for your plant to bloom, consider that some plants are nocturnal or diurnal, meaning they only bloom at night or during the day.

The nighttime varieties can easily be missed, so keep an eye on the plant when it buds. 

Sometimes the trick is getting cacti to bloom so you can enjoy the aroma in the home.

Succulents need a rest period or dormancy of 2-5 months. This is when the plant isn’t actively growing but it is an important trigger for budding.

Most plants in the succulent category will respond to light variation as a cue to begin flowering. The presence of brighter light after winter doldrums is usually the key. Use a plant light in late winter to begin encouraging the plant to form buds.

Another cue for flower formation is temperature. In the home interior the climate is usually fairly consistent, so move the plant to a cooler location for a couple of months. Then bring it out to bright light and warmer temperatures.

Fertilize succulents and cacti in very late winter to early spring to help fuel flower production.

Trying to choose the best types of sedums for sustainable gardening is enough to make you feel like a kid in a candy shop. Whether sprawled like carpets of color amidst rocks or bobbling delicately along path edgings, sedums have a peerless reputation for flourishing in situations that challenge countless other plants.   

Making more of plants that don’t rely on constant irrigation is one key way we can enjoy our gardens while being more switched on to sustainable living. Thanks to their natural drought-tolerance, the sedums in this selection thrive in a range of hardiness zones, poor soils and gardening projects, in places where you might struggle to grow many other plants. You can plant sedums in rockeries and gravel gardens, on slopes and in compact containers, within the cracks of crumbling walls, as part of inventive xeriscaping plots, and even on green roof gardens. 

Such is their versatility, these sedum (aka stonecrop) varieties work just as well in modest, compact settings as they do in ambitious, eco-driven projects. Capable of neon yellow and deep purple foliage here, or a froth of hot pink flowers there, many upright sedum varieties also service a host of pollinators such as butterflies and honeybees. So whichever direction your planting inclinations take you, this collection of sustainably smart upright and creeping sedum varieties is sure to hit the spot.

Selecting the Very Best Types of Sedum for Sustainable Ornamentals

Although there is a bit of an overlap, most stonecrop varieties fall into one of two groups. There are the mat-forming, creeping rock garden sedums, and the upright, pollinator-friendly plants which often present with fluffier flower heads. Ground cover sedum varieties (rock garden sedums) are generally more compact, although they spread quickly, making them ideal for gravel gardens, patios, pathways and pots. 

Upright floriferous types are so distinct, scientists recently concluded that they deserved their own name (Hylotelephium). Both Hylotelephium varieties and rock garden sedums are included in this selection because, as stonecrop plants, they have superior resilience in often-extreme conditions – not to mention their overall suitability for sustainably minded planting.    

‘These plants are prized for their quick establishment and set-it-and-forget-it nature’ says Gardening Know How’s Bonnie Grant. ‘They can burst with life even in the cracks of a wall, and their leaves allow them to store water and thrive in the hottest, driest locations.’ Read on for our pick of the best sustainable sedums.

1. October Daphne (Hylotelephium Sieboldii)

• Hardiness: 3-9
• Height: 12in (30cm)
• Great for: Pots and pollinator gardens

Combining the most distinctive elements of both floriferous and creeping stonecrop varieties, sun-loving October Daphne (Hylotelephium sieboldii, formerly Sedum sieboldii) is a striking choice for sustainable gardening. Its round, flat, succulent blue-green leaves have distinctive pink edges. These are complemented by frothy pink flowers which bloom in summer. Perfect for a butterfly garden, this pollinator-friendly plant is also happy as ground cover and in containers.

2. Sedum 'Ogon'

• Hardiness: 6-9
• Height: 2in (5cm)
• Great for: Easy ground cover and walls

An abundance of dainty, multifaceted leaf color makes this one of the liveliest types of sedum for ground cover. Packed with clusters of lime, burgundy and gold notes, Sedum makinoi 'Ogon' is a lively addition to rock gardens and looks especially striking in container garden arrangements, tumbling over the edges of a terracotta pot or glazed ceramic planter. Happy in full sunshine and partial shade, this mass of jewel-like foliage is joined with petite gold blooms in summer.

3. Hylotelephium ‘Purple Emperor’

• Hardiness: 3-9
• Height: 15in (38cm)
• Great for: Pollinator gardens and floral beds

Pollinator-friendly Purple Emperor is another one of the stonecrop varieties that is now defined as Hylotelephium. Bees and butterflies adore its copious plumes of deep pink petals bursting forth from lush purple foliage between summer and fall. ‘These plants do best in poor, well-draining, sandy to rocky soil,’ says Liz Baessler, Gardening Know How’s Senior Editor. ‘If they grow in soil that is too fertile, they will put out too much growth and become weak and floppy.’

4. Sedum ‘Angelina’

• Hardiness: 5-9
• Height: 6in (15cm)
• Great for: Rockeries and containers

An almost-luminescent golden glow sets this evergreen perennial apart from other types of sedum. Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’ develops a shock of near-neon yellow flowers in summer, which develop hues of pink and copper during the fall. Sun-thirsty Angelina prefers full sunshine, but can cope with partial shade, although this might result in greener displays. Gorgeous in xeriscaping plots, container gardens, gravel plots, rockeries or even just bulging forth from flower beds in carpets of cyber gold.

5. Hylotelephium ‘Vera Jameson’

• Hardiness: 3-9
• Height: 12in (30cm)
• Great for: Borders, containers and edging

Another of the fluffy-headed Hylotelephium stonecrop varieties, 'Vera Jameson' adds a pop of interest to beds, borders, pots and patios. Blue-green foliage shifts to purple during the fall, with burgundy stems supporting dusky pink flowers in summer. Charming Vera Jameson is happy in full sunshine, sandy soils and gravel-based settings. ‘This sedum takes extremes of heat and cold in stride,’ says Gardening Know How’s Mary Ellen Ellis. ‘Once established, it won’t need to be watered.’

6. Palmer’s Sedum

• Hardiness: 8-11
• Height: 8-10in (20-25cm)
• Great for: Rockeries and containers

Palmer’s sedum (Sedum palmeri) is one of the most dramatic fleshy-leaved types of sedum to grow in rock gardens and containers. This trailing herbaceous perennial has fleshy succulent leaves which support cascading golden flowers in late winter and early spring. It can thrive in partial shade, although plentiful sunshine is the best way to ensure that intense floral color in the early weeks of the year. As a tonal treat, its dusty foliage takes on pinkish tints where it grows in extended sunshine.

7. Sedum ‘Dragon’s Blood’

• Hardiness: 4-9
• Height: 6in (15cm)
• Great for: Beds and borders

Feisty Sedum spurium presents with a blaze of rich bronze, green and purple foliage. These succulent-style leaves shift in intensity from summer to fall. This is coupled with zingy hot pink flowers from mid-to-late summer. One of the best types of sedum for quickly developing a thick ground cover, sun-guzzling Dragon’s Blood is also well suited to slopes, rockeries and dry soils. This carpet-style creeping perennial is also a popular choice for coastal gardens.

8. Hylotelephium 'Herbstfreude'

• Hardiness: 3-9
• Height: 2ft (60cm)
• Great for: Pollinator gardens and mixed beds

One of the classic stonecrop varieties, Hylotelephium 'Herbstfreude’ (or ‘Autumn Joy’ as it is also known) is a garden pollinator’s dream. It presents with juicy pink blooms in late summer which become copper in the fall. This hardy upright stonecrop grows up to two feet (60cm) tall, so it’s great for flower beds, raised beds and rock gardens. Growing Autumn Joy well just relies on ensuring that it receives a little afternoon shade as well as copious sunshine, to keep its foliage and flowers looking their best.

9. Sedum ‘Dream Dazzler’ (SunSparkler Series)

• Hardiness: 4-9
• Height: 6-8in (15-20cm)
• Great for: Gravel gardens and rockeries

Gorgeous as a focal point for a gravel garden and as ground cover, ‘Dream Dazzler’ is one of the best types of sedum to choose for a long season of drought-tolerant color. With its funky pink-edged succulent leaves and hot pink flowers from late summer to fall, there is something joyfully glam rock about this rockery favorite. Foliage varies from green to purple, depending on sun exposure and the time of year. It can also flourish in a mixed border or as part of a playful xeriscaping project.

10. Sedum Ternatum

• Hardiness: 4-8
• Height: 6in (15cm)
• Great for: Rock gardens and garden walls

While many stonecrop varieties thrive in full sunshine, Sedum ternatum (also known as wild stonecrop) is one sedum you can happily plant in light or partial shade. It is also happier in moist ground conditions than many of its sedum comrades. Its bright green rounded leaves are complemented in early summer by delicate sprays of starry white blooms which seem to glow in quiet corners. Lovely as ground cover and as part of a rockery, this stonecrop looks charming tumbling from a stone wall, too. 

Frequently Asked Questions

There are over 10,000 types of succulents in the world. They grow on every continent except Antarctica. They are a wildly diverse group of plants in form, color, and size. Plant collectors are always looking for unique succulent plants, and some of these can be found in this article.

There are tropical, desert, and mountainous varieties of succulent. They may be found in meadows, arid zones, rain forests, and almost any other environment. Many of the most unusual succulents are endangered due to human activities and habitat loss. When sourcing unusual succulent plants, always ensure the seller is reputable and the plant has been sourced legally.

Cactus Succulents

Desert environments are thought to be harsh and inhospitable places, nearly devoid of life. But in fact, deserts support a wide variety of flora and fauna, which are all integral to each other and support the circle of life. Cacti are widely represented in desert regions, coming in sizes as small as a pebble up to forms that would dwarf a giraffe.

The Pincushion cactus is in the genus Mammillaria, a wide group of mostly barrel cactus in all sizes. The pincushion boasts bright pink blooms circling around the spines. Not all cacti produce talon-like spines. The Whortleberry cactus is almost devoid of spines except for tiny soft clusters. It has blue green skin and wrinkled, crested growth. The Brain cactus is a small plant with nodes and folds in its body. The closely nestled folds truly do resemble a brain.

Candle cactus is a large columnar plant composed of numerous arms covered in knobby protrusions. Grandfather cactus is particularly charming. It is adorned with long white, hair-like spines. It is also sometimes called bunny cactus due to the soft looking fur.

Soft Bodied Succulents

The smooth skin of many succulents makes them easy to repot and grow. Lithops come in many sizes and colors. They look much like a stone with a split top and are also called living stones. They grow in hues of pink, blue-gray, gray, greenish gray, coral, red, and even lime green. The Burro’s Tail Sedum is a hanging plant with neatly stacked oval, fleshy leaves. String of Pearls is also a hanging plant with pea-like appendages on the stems.

Ghost plant is in the genus Graptopetalum, and has a powdery coating on the waxy leaves. It is a draping form which produces starry white blooms marked with a red stripe. The Carrion flower may not be a plant for the indoors as it emits a strong, unpleasant odor. It is also called Carrion cactus but is not a true cactus. Instead, it is a succulent member of the milkweed family.

How to Find Unusual Succulents

Unusual succulents can often be found at your local nursery or garden center. Because many of these plants hybridize easily, they are often bred to encourage certain strange traits. Cacti are also grafted to create diverse and bizarre forms.

Most succulents are easy to propagate from stem cuttings or leaves. Collectors find the exotic and unusual at shows hosted by groups like cactus or succulent societies. There are also sun shops, or those that only carry succulents. The proprietors are usually succulent enthusiasts with an eye for the unusual.

Succulent seeds can be purchased, with many rare species available. Mature size will take much longer than a plant established through a cutting, but the wait is worth it.

A List of Unusual Succulent Plants

• Desert Rose
• Ponytail Palm
• Haworthia truncata
• Euphorbia obesa
• Crassula Red Pagoda
• Mangave Praying Hands
• Cereus forbesii Spiralis
• African Hosta
• Albuca spiralis
• Buddah’s Temple
• Echeveria Swan Lake
• Giant Jewel Plant
• Portulaca molokiniensis
• Crinkle Leaf Plant

Some of the plant experts online call variegated succulent plants a genetic accident. Whatever the case, succulents that are variegated are unusual and often unique compared to others that are not variegated. Information says there are about 60 genus which contain one or more variegated specimens.

Plant pigments are responsible for the coloring in these plants. Cells of chlorophyll are the primary pigment responsible for the green hue in plants. Variegation in different amounts of this chlorophyll is the cause of variegated plants.

Variegated Succulent Plants

Several species contain variegated plants, some of the most interesting and unique ones like those that are featured below. If you wish to add a variegated plant to your collection, take a look at these beauties.

• Variegated Stonecrop Sedum 'Tricolor' features clusters of pale pink, starry type flowers in summer. This is a creeping semi-evergreen that forms a mat during the growing season.
• Aloe Variegata, often called Tiger Aloe, is a smaller aloe, often growing only about 10 inches (25 cm.) tall. As a clump-former, variegated aloe is stoloniferous with leaves which terminate into a blunt point. It has a rough, textured, warty feel. Irregularly spaced oblong white crossbands spread along the leaf. It blooms in winter with spikes of bright orange flowers. The flowers have six petals and are about an inch long.
• Aeonium 'Sunburst' has large rosettes of fleshy, variegated leaves on thick stems which are seemingly bare. Green, yellow and creamy white foliage forms coppery red tips when grown in full sun. Pale yellow flowers appear, also in mid-winter to early spring on mature plants. Growing these in the garden creates a dramatic texture. Use them in rock gardens and dry borders. As a frost-tender evergreen these thrive in sunny coastal climates. They will not survive in colder climates, so you might grow them in containers and bring them inside for cold weather protection.
• Crassula Ovata also offers ornamental value as a subtropical evergreen. It is a succulent shrub native to the southern coast of Africa, featuring patchy green and white leaves.
• Variegated snake plant is also known as mother-in-law's tongue. Historically it was in the genus Sansevieria, but has been reclassified into the genus Dracaena. It is easy to grow, with 70 varieties available. Each has unique variegation specific to the plant, sometimes with black markings. These plants have various leaf structures along with different height, form and colors making many unusual varieties.

If you’re expanding your plant collection, consider these variegated types mentioned above. You could acquire beautiful specimens with unique characteristics. Fun and easy to grow, low care while they are beautiful on display.

The cold hardy prickly pear cactus (Opuntia humifusa) is beautiful, providing showy yellow blooms in June and July in the landscape where they’ve naturalized. The Opuntia humifusa flower sometimes has a red eye, making them even more striking. Flowers may even bloom red or orange. Each bloom lasts just a day, but the plant continues to blossom for weeks.

Cold Hardy Prickly Pears

When flowers fade, the plant produces tunas, a semi-sweet and juicy fruit. These are popular and collected on a large scale worldwide. They’re used in jams, chutney, or cactus pear jelly.

This cactus family member grows primarily in the eastern area of the U.S., hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9. Opuntia humifusa originated in the northeastern plains of the U.S., although the plant is said to be rare in many areas. Common names include Indian fig, the devil's-tongue, or the eastern prickly pear. It is attractive to pollinators and attracts gopher tortoises.

The prickly pear was listed in older information as Opuntia compressa. 150 species exist in the Opuntia family. Eastern prickly pear is considered an aged group within this family. This cactus has the widest range of growth of any cacti native to the U.S. Other than the eastern area mentioned above, it is found in New Mexico, Montana, Florida, Massachusetts, and many areas in between. It may also be found growing in Ontario, Canada.

This spreading beauty reaches 1.5 feet tall by 3 feet wide (46 x 91 cm.) as it develops into colonies. Plants may also grow individually. It is sometimes considered a shrub. It has short and spreading fibrous roots that develop from any pad that is broken off.

The pads of this plant, called nopales, are considered the stems, with the spikes that cover them thought of as leaves. Spikes protect the plant from munching wild animals. Pads hold water which allows the cactus to exist well in dry areas. Nopales are edible and used in lots of Mexican cuisines. Keep in mind that areas that are too moist cause problems when growing this plant.

How to Grow Eastern Prickly Pear

These grow easily in colder areas in gravelly or sandy soil and any other soil that drains well, so long as it is in full sun. Prickly pear prefers a soil pH of 6 to 7. The eastern prickly pear range includes areas with clay soil too. Devil’s tongue will grow in sunny clay where good drainage is established, as long as the soil does not remain wet. Don’t plant in rich soil as it will cause growth too quickly, which may result in pest and disease issues.

Propagate prickly pear from cuttings, if you wish, from the previous year’s pads. Allow them to dry for a week and plant them, cut side down, into the garden or a container—being careful of the spines. Thick leather gloves are somewhat helpful against the spines. Use tongs. Plant in containers to keep them closer to the home. Use caution if children or pets will be in the area.

We like to keep cacti growing in a dry area, planted in well-draining soil to keep them alive and even thriving. But, what can we do about unexpected rain? Make plans for protection, so a rainstorm doesn’t result in the loss of many plants.

Protect Succulents From Rain

The most obvious means of protecting cacti and succulents from rain is to grow them in containers with drainage holes. Container-planted specimens can then be moved to an area of protection whenever heavy or long-lasting rain is expected to fall.

These plants have adapted to survive on limited water. Conditions to which they are native are often hot dry deserts. Succulent leaves have also adapted to storing water for future use. When you see succulent plants with plump, fat leaves, this means they are storing water for their needs later on.

Cacti are even better at storing water than most succulents. They contain water storage cells allowing some desert cacti to store water as long as two years. These plants have evolved into long-lasting water storage units. Consequently, a few days or even weeks of storage out of the rain won’t create a problem for the plants. 

Get the Soil Right for the Plants

Leaving cactus in more than a brief shower, however, presents the possibility of some damage. Even when planted in the appropriate soil, a cactus won’t survive for very long in wet soil. Creating a rain shelter for succulents and cacti is sometimes necessary if they are planted in the ground in an area where rainfall may occur regularly.

Amend cactus soil with coarse sand, pumice chips or small gravel. This helps increase drainage capabilities. Use it in containers and your ground beds.

Building berms or raised beds in conjunction with a rainproof covering and sides might be required to keep cacti alive following rainy days. If you have a slight slope in your yard, take advantage and consider putting a bed there. Of course, you can cover the plants individually with buckets or those milk jugs you might’ve put up for late winter growing. But there’s no guarantee that the soil underneath will remain dry. 

Leaving cactus in the rain can be risky. If you leave them out to get a full rainfall, check the next couple days afterward to make sure the soil has drained well and is drying out. If not, it is sometimes easier to replant in dry soil than to chance the possibility of root rot. If you notice this rot starting to happen, cut out the damaged parts and replant.

Prepare ahead of time, as much as possible, for ways to protect cacti and succulents from heavy rain. An outside building or covered porch is sometimes the best solution. If necessary, bring them into the kitchen or laundry room during heavy rainfall.

As hybridization on holiday cactus plants expands, more people are bringing them into their homes to decorate for holidays. As these purchases increase, so does the range of issues some are finding with the plants. It is not likely that problems have increased, but more people are experiencing them because more people have the plants. 

Easter cactus is actually a jungle cactus, growing in its native habitat in the Brazilian rainforest. There it is usually found in the crotch of a tree limb, several feet above the ground. This puts the plant in a position to get no more than filtered light, as much of the sun is blocked by surrounding trees.

In captivity, these plants are often placed in total darkness of up to 14 hours per day for several weeks to force blooms for the holiday. This process with Easter cactus usually begins around the first of January.

Easter Cactus Problems

Problems are not common in most kinds of holiday cacti, but they do occasionally crop up. Easter cactus leaves sometimes get wrinkled or fall off, as do their buds. After spending several weeks in darkness for 14 hours per day it is not surprising that this sometimes happens.

Dropping buds is most likely to happen when the plant is moved. The Easter cactus leaves falling off may result from temps that are too high, exposures to drafts, and not enough light. Bud or leaf drop can also result from under or over watering, if humidity is too low or even when the plant is in the path of fumes from a gas-burning stove.

Perhaps your plant has the symptoms of overwatering, but you’ve only watered it a small, limited amount. Chances are the Easter cactus is planted in improper soil. When putting the newly purchased plant into a permanent pot, use a cactus potting mix amended with coarse sand and pumice. This adds even faster drainage, so you don’t have to be concerned with root rot.

Other Overwatered Easter Cactus Issues

Inconsistent watering is another issue experienced with this plant. As a succulent, watering should always be limited. Often, the houseplant gardener will think they’ve given the plant too little water and then respond by giving it a large amount. Keep watering consistently to avoid a number of other problems, such as blistering leaves and corky roots. 

When bloom time has ended, you may wish to keep your plant outside in a shady and filtered light spot for the remainder of the summer. This gives some insects a chance to make their home amongst the Easter cactus branches. You will likely have to treat to remove aphids, mealybugs, scale or spider mites before bringing it back inside. Seclude the plant and treat it with alcohol in a spray bottle or on a cotton ball. This method might take several days until all pests are removed from the plant. If this doesn’t get rid of the pests in 10 days, step up to a stronger pest control method. 

Weather is a capricious thing. It can be mild one minute, and wild the next. Even zones with relatively consistent temperatures and weather can have a bit of a temper tantrum and drop a load of snow or produce extreme winds. Conditions like these can do a number on our succulents. Can succulents withstand cold? Succulents and frost don't traditionally go together and can result in damage to these types of plants, but all may not be lost. 

Protecting succulents from frost is crucial to their survival. There are some succulents that are cold hardy, but the majority are not. Winter weather that comes in hard may surprise some growers and cause injury to plants. Will succulents survive a freeze? Warm weather succulents and freezing temperatures are a recipe for harm but can be avoided with protection from frost. 

Can Succulents Withstand Cold? 

Northern climates tend to be somewhat inhospitable to outdoor succulents. Plants such as Sempervivum, some Sedum, Rosularia, Jovibarba, Delosperma, and hardy Opuntia, however, will be fine in low temperatures. There are even some hardy Agave that won't become damaged in ice and snow. Desert plants do receive cold temperatures at night, which gives other types of succulents some short term tolerance to freezing. Extended cold may cause injury though. The question, "Will succulents survive a freeze?" is determined by the variety as well as soil type, site, and duration of cold temperatures. One way to avoid potential problems from succulents and frost is to plant them in containers which can be moved if the forecast indicates extreme temperatures. 

Protecting Succulents from Frost

In ground plants need fortification to avoid injury. Providing some shelter from cold can prevent freezing of plant cells which can lead to rot. Watering a day before forecast indicates a cold event is not recommended for succulents. Dry, well draining soil is a better defense. Cover plants prior to a cold event with an old sheet or frost fabric to ward off frost and direct contact with snow. As an added layer of defense, run a lit string of holiday lights under the sheet to warm the area slightly. Try to prevent the lights from touching the fabric with the use of stakes or other supports. 

Healing Freeze Damaged Succulents

Freeze damage often occurs at the tips of cacti and other succulents. It may appear as black rot or even pink and yellow soft spots. How severely the plant is affected will indicate if it will survive. If damage does occur, prune away diseased material with a sharp, sterile knife. In most cases, the plant will regenerate and recover. Take off wet, mushy leaves immediately as they increase the change of rot in the entire plant. On plants like Agaves, whose leaves dry out after a freeze, removal is best done after all chance of frost has passed. Give the plants the same consistent care and they should recover. 

Agaves are versatile and attractive plants which can lend a tropical air to interiors and serve as an architectural landscape plant outdoors. It's easy to understand why these plants are so popular, but they do have one drawback. They are a monocarpic species, and understanding how to propagate agave is an essential part of their care.

Understanding Agave Propagation

Monocarpic species are those which bloom once and die back. This is a reproductive strategy that produces offspring in a number of ways. Sexual reproduction occurs when the flowers are pollinated and seeds are formed. This method of agave propagation can produce offspring which are genetically different from the parents.

Depending upon the species, some agave produces aerial bulbils. These are essentially new plantlets that form on the flower stalk. Left to their own accord, the bulbils will fall off the mother plant and take root in the soil where they land. This is one of the agave propagation methods which produces exact clones of the mother plant.

Another vegetative or asexual method of reproduction is the formation of agave pups. These are new plants which grow from the roots after the mother plant has died back. Like bulbils, agave pups are exact clones of the mother plant.

Agave Propagation Methods

Starting new plants from seeds or growing agave cuttings from pups and bulbils are the most common methods for propagating agave plants. Both methods are dependent upon the mother plant reaching maturity and blooming. 

How soon this happens depends upon the species. Some agave species, like the century plant, take 25 to 30 years to flower. On the other hand, yucca can bloom in their third year. Which of the 200 species you have may influence your choice of agave propagation methods.

How to Propagate Agave from Seeds

Sow agave seeds in a well-draining medium containing perlite or sand. Cover the seeds lightly and place the container in a warm, shady location. Mist them regularly to maintain a slightly damp surface or set the container in a shallow tray of water and allow moisture to soak up from the bottom. 

Depending upon the species, gardeners can expect germination in 1 to 3 weeks. Once the seeds have sprouted, it's essential to keep the growing medium slightly moist. When the seedlings have developed 2 or 3 true leaves, they are ready to be transplanted into individual pots.

Growing Agave Cuttings

The technique for growing agave cuttings is similar for both pups or bulbils. Start by donning a pair of gloves as most species of agave have spines, thorns or teeth. The offspring can be removed from the mother plant using a sharp pair of gardening shears or a knife.

Choose several healthy, unblemished offspring, then cut the stems of agave pups as close to the mother plant as possible. The stem is the area where the new roots will develop. Bulbils can be twisted or cut from the mother plant.

Allow the cuttings to callus over before planting in a soilless growing medium. It usually takes about 2 to 3 weeks for roots to develop. If the agave pups or bulbils already have roots, the cuttings can be planted immediately.

When growing agave cuttings, it's best to keep the potting mix damp but not overly moist while the offspring are becoming established. With a little luck, most of the offspring will root and be ready for transplanting outdoors in about a year. 

One of the most magical plants during the winter months is the holiday cactus. There are several varieties, each of which is fairly simple to propagate. Making a new plant provides an excellent opportunity to gift these beautifully flowering plants and give someone else the opportunity to enjoy the blooms in winter's dormant season. Learn how to propagate holiday cactus for a gift that will give year after year. 

Cactus lovers know there are Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas cactus. Their cheery flowers are a treat when hardly anything is in bloom in winter. Schlumbergera cuttings are how to propagate Easter cactus and its cousins. Just a few steps and the gardener is well on their way to producing baby cacti that will bloom in future years. Keep new cacti in a shady location in summer, bringing the plant in before temperatures become cool. 

Christmas Cactus Propagation

Christmas cacti are probably one of the most recognized of the holiday cacti. The plants are in the genus Schlumbergera, the same genus as the Thanksgiving and Easter cacti. Schlumbergera bridgesii is the full botanical name of Christmas cacti. They are native to Brazil and are true cacti, although not the desert varieties which are familiar to most of us. They live in tropical forests as epiphytes, growing in tree crotches high in the forest. The stems have scalloped edges and the plants bloom with bright red flowers from November to February. The pollen bearing anthers are purple-brown, unlike Thanksgiving cacti, which have yellow pollen. There are no true leaves, but the plant photosynthesizes through the stems. 

How to Propagate Holiday Cactus

Thanksgiving cactus propagation and Christmas cactus propagation starts with good stem cuttings. Schlumbergera cuttings need to be sourced from healthy plants, preferably taken in May to June. Pinch off stem sections, known as phylloclades, which include three to five segments. You could also cut off the phylloclades with a clean, sharp, sterile knife. Allow the cut end to callus. Place the cuttings outdoors in a shady location for a couple of days. Use clean containers and well-draining soil and plant cuttings 1 inch (2.5 cm.) deep. Moisten the soil well and then cover the entire container in a clear plastic bag, secured around the edges. 

How to Propagate Easter Cactus

Easter cacti have bounced around in a few different genera but have now settled in Schlumbergera. They bloom March through May with pink to red flowers. Easter cacti are grown in the same manner as Christmas and Thanksgiving cactus propagation. Place covered pots in bright but indirect light for several weeks. Keep the soil moderately wet. In around three or up to eight weeks, the cuttings will have formed roots. For faster rooting, dip the cuttings into rooting hormone prior to planting. Rooted cuttings can be potted together for an instantly full looking plant. Plants usually can be expected to bloom the next year. Give plants cooler nights and darkness for a month to initiate blooming.

Many succulents sport unique colors to go along with their interesting and unusual shapes. Often, some of the more unique types are grown singly in a decorative container to match their shades of color. Some may plant them in white ceramic pots to allow the plant colors to dominate. So it is with pink succulent types such as the ones discussed below.

Pink Succulent Plants

Pink succulents may display the color on leaf edges or with streaks or blotches mingled throughout the foliage. Others may be a solid color. Some need the stress of sunshine to get the desired color, while other plants have it without manipulation. If you wish for a particular color, research the plant to learn what creates the color and causes it to get brighter. Sometimes it has to do with the chlorophyll that normally makes leaves green.

Here are some of our favorite pink succulent types.

• Afterglow Echeveria grows easily indoors when you find just the right brightly lit area with some sunshine pouring through. Needing little water, you’ll find this plant tolerates heat as well as drought. Large leaves make up the rosettes which grow in clumps and can spread to fill the top of the container in maturity. Leaves are edged with a lavender-pink shade that deepens with sunshine and cold weather. Some say this plant glows when planted. This pink and green succulent is frost tender. Orange-red blooms may appear under the leaves. 
• The unparalleled Kalanchoe Pink Butterflies is a pink flowering plant. If you’re putting together a pink succulent collection, the pink kalanchoe succulent is a must-have. It is variegated, meaning it is low on chlorophyll. This allows the pink color to replace the typical green. This is a tall succulent with slender leaves where small flowers grow along the leaf edges, producing hundreds of flowers.
• Kiwi Aeonium is another gorgeous plant with pink in the leaves. Attractive rosettes of fleshy leaves appear to be edged in pink to red shades. Bright yellow blooms may appear in summer. This plant produces offsets quickly, and is suited well to indoor containers.
• Pink Moonstone succulent has egg-shaped leaves that are mostly pinkish silver on this variety, although they range from peach to blue-green. Stems grow to about eight inches (20.32 cm.) and are covered with leaves. Pachyphytum oviferum is one of the most sensitive to overwatering. When leaves drop at the slightest bump, stop watering for about three weeks. Too little light can create this problem too. Grow in morning sun to filtered shade in the afternoon. Allow wrinkled leaves to let you know when it needs watering again. Moonstones can flower with red-orange petals.
• Pink Lithops grow in many shades with the same form common to all these plants. Easily over-watered, this variety needs morning sun and filtered afternoon shade in most areas. Plant in succulent soil, amending if needed.

If you’re looking for a low care succulent to bring inside for the winter and locate on the floor, consider choosing a Sedum tree. Well-known succulent trees, “Sedum Frutescens” and “Sedum Dendroideum” are actually small succulent shrubs. These are commonly called Tree Stonecrop succulents, False Hens and Chicks and Joshua Tree. These specimens are native to Mexico but are reportedly naturalized in California and likely other states in the US.

Sedum Dendroideum 

These can grow to three feet (.9 m.) in height in the right container and spread to three to four feet (.9 to 1.2 m.) across. While many Stonecrop varieties are hardy in cold temperatures, the Dendroideum and Frutescens need to avoid temperatures that drop to frost (42°F or 0° C). Otherwise, you can grow these outside in the full sun with filtered sun being preferred. Plant them in areas with poor or sandy soil where nothing else tends to do well.

Grow Dendroideum and Frutescens outside year-round in Hardiness Zones 10 and 11. Lower zones should plan indoor winter accommodations. 

As with other sedum types, the Dendroideum is forgiving of conditions that aren’t exactly part of their requirements, and will most likely thrive in any appropriate location. The plant is evergreen and blooms in late winter.

Plant these in gritty soil amended with pumice or coarse sand. Water in, then allow this drought-tolerant specimen to show you when it needs water. Wrinkled leaves indicate it needs water, but full leaves let you know it has plenty of water stored in them for the future. As you know, too much water is the leading cause of root rot and death in succulent plants. 

Sedum Frutescens

An unusual plant, this plant is sometimes considered rare, especially when grown as a houseplant. It is also evergreen and drought tolerant and doesn’t tolerate frost. Conditions and moving times similar to the dendrobium are appropriate for the Joshua tree also.

This plant has arborescent stems, and is often used for bonsai. Plant in a container and bring indoors for an interesting potted tree succulent for the winter. 

Place both in filtered light to full sun and avoid watering while you have them inside. Many sedum types only need watering once a month or less in winter. Both bloom in late winter, so water once as blooms form. You may also add a light round of liquid fertilizer to make blooms last longer. This is the only time you should fertilize sedum succulents. 

With tree sedums growing in the garden, plan ahead for when it’s time to bring them inside for the winter. Plant them in decorative pots that will work with the décor of your indoors so you don’t need to repot before bringing them inside.

Don’t confuse Yucca brevifolia with Sedum Frutescens, as it is also sometimes called Joshua tree. This is a succulent and is the largest of the Yucca species. This plant sometimes reaches more than 30 feet (9 m.) in height.

At one time growing blue agave was most notable for its production into tequila, but today blue agave nectar is giving the liquor a run for its money. Blue agave sweetener is being featured more often due to its low glycemic index, a boon for diabetics and others monitoring their sugar intake. Blue agave nectar and tequila aren’t the only uses for the versatile blue agave plant however. 

Blue Agave Plant Uses

The blue agave plant is used to make another alcoholic drink called pulque. A sweet liquid is captured after the flower stem is cut just prior to flowering and is then fermented. 

For the production of tequila and mezcal, the sugars are extracted from the heart of the blue agave plant and then distilled. Mezcal is similar to tequila but only made in select regions and from specific varieties of agave. 

The blue agave plant’s leaves yield fiber known as pita that is used to make rope. Blue agave has also been used in soap, lip balm, toothpaste and hair care products. 

Blue Agave Nectar

Blue agave sweetener is a natural sweetener that belongs to a class of carbohydrates called fructans. Fructans are rich in inulin, which has a minimal impact on blood sugar. It also increases calcium absorption and promotes probiotic bacteria. 

Blue agave nectar is produced by expressing the juice from the core of the blue agave plant. This juice is then filtered to create blue agave nectar or syrup. The nectar is then heated to concentrate the filtered juice, creating a syrup-like liquid. 

Growing Blue Agave

Blue agave plants consist of a rosette comprised of long, spear-shaped, fleshy barbed leaves. There are over 200 species of agave. As the name implies, the leaves of blue agave are blue/green. 

Hardy plants, blue agave are deer resistant and drought tolerant, although they should be grown in a frost free region. The most commonly grown is A. americana or century plant. Despite the name, the plant only lives 10-30 years. At the end of its life cycle, the plant sends up a tall flower stalk topped with yellow blooms. The plant is propagated via rhizomes which send up “pups” or new plants. 

Blue Agave Care 

As mentioned, blue agave plants are resilient, hardy specimens. Once established, they need very little care. Native to Mexico and the Southern United States, blue agave plants prefer sandy, slightly acidic, or well-draining gravelly soil. 

To prolong the life of the plant, cut off the flower stalk. Blue agave plants can be container grown, but will need to be repotted each year. Prune out any dead or damaged leaves each year with pruners or if need be a saw. Take care handling the plant as some people experience contact dermatitis resulting from calcium oxalate crystals or raphides. 

If you’ve started a cactus collection or just added a few types to go along with your succulents, don’t forget to include the snowball cactus. Mammillaria snowball cacti are easy to grow with only the most basic care.

What is a Snowball Cactus?

The snowball cactus is botanically named Mammillaria candida. It is covered with dense spines and a white substance sometimes called wool. The wool makes it look like a snowball, but be careful of the dense spines. 

This is an easy to grow plant and the more sun it gets, the more wool and spines it will produce. Careful with this, though, as too much direct sun can burn this cactus.

Like other cacti, the snowball likes summer heat and morning sun, but it is said to survive well in colder temperatures. And like other cacti, wet soil and cold is deadly to the plant. This plant can be hardy to a low of 23 degrees F (-5° C), but only with dry soil. It is native to Northeastern Mexico where it grows in crevices or flat areas on rocky limestone slopes.

Growing Snowball Cacti

Use thick gloves for protection when handling the plant. Snowball cactus care is simple and easy when it is planted in proper soil. The right soil is porous cactus soil with a bit of compost or other organic matter added. 

Acclimate to bright light and eventually full morning sun. Strong sunlight encourages bronzing of the plant and the growth of more spines and heavy wool. Locate the plant in a low humidity area, if possible. You can grow this plant indoors also, in bright light and some direct sun.

Limit watering with all cacti, but especially this one. It is highly water sensitive. This plant has a shallow root system that only needs minor watering. This is also why fast-draining soil is important.

When provided with the right care, the snowball cactus will reward you with small but showy yellow or pinkish blooms rising from the spines in spring. Flowers have pink to red veins. Several subspecies exist with varying flower colors.

If you’re thinking of adding plants to your collection or even getting one started, consider these no fuss cacti. They are often quite unusual, and most are easy maintenance or low care. Most can grow outside during the warmer months and move indoors during colder winters.

10 Easy Cacti

1) Gymnocalycium are among the easiest cacti to grow. The genus includes 70 species that are native to several countries in South America. These are also called Chin cactus and include the Moon cactus. Some are dwarfs and most form clusters as they grow.

2) Mammillaria is the largest genus of the plant, with 170 types or more. Some estimate 200 to 300. Some are easy to grow but some are more difficult. If you’re new to growing cacti, choose carefully. Consider the hahniana, also called the Old Lady cactus. These are mostly native to Mexico or South American countries. 

3) Echinopsis is also called the Hedgehog cactus and includes over 100 species. These prickly 128 species include a small group called the Peanut cactus and are native to South America.

4) Hatiora is a tropical cactus. Some types grow as big as a landscape shrub. This group includes the type Dancing Bones. Hatiora gaertneri is commonly known as Easter cactus. Avoid overwatering. Native to southeastern Brazil.

5) Rhipsalis is another tropical cactus. This type can’t take direct, full sun. Drunkard's Dream is one variety. These are “characterized by branched, interwoven thin shoots,” according to online info.

6) Astrophytum includes a specimen called Star cacti. This is a small genus. These have a globular shape, with some that are columnar. A few have no spikes, which is good for new growers. Some can take direct sunlight. Also consider Astrophytum ornatum Bishop’s Cap.

7) Schlumbergera is a small and popular genus of cacti. It is also easy care. This variety is native to the coastal mountains of southeastern Brazil. This type will not tolerate full sun. It prefers bright and moderate indirect lighting. This includes Christmas cactus and Thanksgiving cactus. Both can bloom fully in maturity with the right care and lighting. 

8) Ferrocactus, can sometimes reach 6 feet (2 m.) or even taller. These include a Blue Barrel, Fire Barrel, and a Mexican Red Barrel. Many have long lasting flowers. There is a spineless variety, Ferocactus glaucescens forma nuda. Many of these types are found in southwestern Texas down into Mexico. 

9) Rebutia globular are small and cute. Blooms grow from the lower part of the stem. Flowers are large compared to the small size of the plant. In addition, they are hardy, germinate easily, and freely clump. They don’t require much care and they’re resilient. Watering depends on where your cactus is placed. If it is outside in direct sunlight, you may need to water regularly as compared to when it is indoors. 

10) Opuntia is often planted in sunny beds outside here in western N.C. You’ve seen it with yellow flowers, crowding into a contained bed. Careful planting is required with kids and pets. 

Some succulents can be great options for bathroom decoration, starting with those in the Sansevieria family. Most are flexible about light and water needs. They are also said to work well at cleaning the air. If there are windows in your bathroom, so much the better. 

And if not, rotate these plants out on sunny days, perhaps placing them outside early on a sunny morning. Locate them in sunny-morning conditions where they won’t get excessive light. Add lighting to provide indirect light to your plants if they are not accustomed to full sunlight.

Consider the Best Succulents for a Bathroom

Sansevieria is a great option for the bathroom in many ways. It will absorb toxins that often occur in bathrooms. Typical bathrooms contain various stored medications and cleaning products.

Overall, Sansevieria has a reputation for being among the hardiest of succulent plants. There are several different varieties. Take a close look at what’s available should you decide to use them in your bathroom. Their characteristics make them flexible for such a project. When you’re paying close attention, you might be surprised at the different types you find. You might also be surprised to find which succulents grow well in a bathroom.

Aloe Vera

The commonly available Aloe vera is also an interesting plant for the bathroom and works well in all sizes. These hold up well amidst the humidity for a while, then decline starts from the moisture. When this decline begins, move the plant to a dry and slightly sunny spot in the house or outside. As the plant recovers, locate it in about six hours of filtered indirect sun. In many cases it will return to a healthy, growing plant even after a time of growing in the bathroom.

Avoid watering the Aloe and other plants while they are growing in the bathroom. Plant all the bathroom specimens into a healthy, well-draining potting mix designed for succulents. This allows the plants to live longer in the damp conditions.

Can I Put Succulents in My Bathroom?

Gasteria is another great possibility for the low light, windowless bathroom. Commonly called ox tongue, Gasteria can exist happily in a low light environment for a time. As with other plants you use in the bathroom, perk them up later in a dry location.

If you plan to save these plants later after a time in the bathroom, go ahead and install lighting to help them exist longer and more completely there. Simple plant lights are often enough to keep them healthy longer.

Dracaena

The colorful Dracaena plant is great for a bathroom floor. These are available in various colors and sizes. Pick one that is big enough to fill a good size pot. Choose coordinating shades to match the other plants you use in your bathroom. Variegated dracaena can complement your other green plants; green or red leaves can coordinate with other plants. Strappy, uplifted leaves above the container and growing from a main stalk make the plant appear more full. Plant it near the top of the pot. Some describe the plant as whimsical.

Kalanchoe tomentosa, the Panda Pant

The velvet leaved Panda plant grows well in low lighting for a time. Rotate it out into the sunlight along with the others.

Succulents can decorate many spots in both the outside landscape and sunny windows in the house. But, it can get expensive to add fully grown plants to fill a planting bed or even a tabletop in front of an indoor window. You may want to use a succulent plant kit to start succulents and cactus from seed. This is one option to add a quantity of succulents to your collection. 

While garden kits are not the most inexpensive option for growing succulents, they do include everything you’ll need. Grow succulents from seed by using a succulent seed starter kit to learn the process and to check your results. 

Contents of Succulent Garden Starter Kit

We must consider that purchasing succulent seeds in any form has the potential to be a rip-off. Many reviewers of these kits appear pleased with their seed germination. Yet some consumers have reported ordering succulent or cactus seed that grew to be grass or a weed, and in many cases, seeds that did not germinate at all.

Some kits advertise as No Fail and, say their seeds that are “DROWNING & DROUGHT RESISTANT” types, assured to develop and grow. One site boasts of 90%+ germination rates. Please be aware that no guarantee can ensure every seed will develop.

Kits also include soil that is best for growing the seeds. Soil for succulents and cacti is a fast draining, gritty type. This type of soil does not allow water to remain around the seeds long enough to cause rot or drown out the initial growth. The right soil for succulent seeds holds just enough moisture for seeds to develop properly. Some kits include soil in pellets or other forms. Containers to hold the seeds are included with kits, as are labels for each small pot. There is normally a square, wooden box that holds all the small containers.

Where to Buy Succulent Seeds

The best place to find succulent seed kits is at your local garden nursery. They are also available online, and often in big-box stores. Find a respected nursery or an online source with reliable reviews before deciding on a succulent seed kit. This is the best way to ensure a refund if your seeds don’t germinate.

Tips to help your seedlings grow best.

• Location: Grow hardy succulents outside in the proper climate. Grow soft succulents indoors in front of a sunny window or outside in USDA Garden Zones 9-12.
• Where to Grow Succulents: Hardy succulents can grow in-ground or in containers. Potted, hardy succulents grow well outdoors in partial to full sun. Leave them in natural conditions, as they handle both snow and drought. Soft succulents can grow outdoors in the zones referred above, inside under plant lights or by a sunny window. Refer to specific plants for their needs
• Acclimation: Allow about two weeks to gradually transition from bright shade to partial sun after delivery or sprouting of your seedlings.
• Transplanting: Transplant young seedlings within 1-2 weeks. If necessary, plants can stay in original pots for several weeks with the right care.
• Soil: Use gritty, well-draining soil to promote root growth and minimize rot. Try a cactus or succulent potting mix from your local garden center
• Watering: Water deeply and only when the soil is completely dry. Actual frequency varies by location, container, soil, and season
• Color: Acclimate to full sun during the first few weeks of growth for best sunlight to keep colors bright

As the holiday season draws near, thoughts turn to filling our homes with vibrant plants that add life to the winter months. Among the most popular indoor plants for the season are the holiday cacti: Thanksgiving cactus, Christmas cactus, and Easter cactus. Each variety offers a delightful way to mark the seasons with brightly colored blooms and unique leaf patterns.

Despite often being mistaken for one another, these holiday plants are distinct varieties with different characteristics – the most notable one being their blooming times. This is what makes them ideal gifts for their namesake holidays.

If you aren't sure what type of holiday cactus you have, then the good news is that Christmas cactus care and Thanksgiving cactus care are fairly similar as the plants are low maintenance. However, Easter cactus care can be a little trickier as the species is more temperamental.

With a bit of know how, it's easy to tell them apart and tailor their care. Get it right and these stunning seasonal plants will reward you with blooms year after year, brightening your home and warming your heart through the festive season and beyond.

Differences Between Holiday Cactus Varieties

Broadly termed Zygocactus, holiday cacti are not desert cacti, but rather succulents native to the tropical rainforests of Brazil. They are epiphyte plants that in the wild live on other plants and derive their nutrients from the surrounding soil debris, air, and water.

Christmas cactus vs Thanksgiving cactus is the most common confusion surrounding different types of holiday cactus as their bloom times are close and both belong to the Schlumbergera genus. The Easter cactus is also native to Brazil but is a member of the Rhipsalidopsis genus.

While all three varieties can be differentiated by their bloom period and flower formation, the best way to identify them is to look at the shape of their leaf segments – or cladodes. These segmented cladodes are linked together to form the drooping, branching habit we’ve come to expect from this species.

• Thanksgiving cactus has pointed, claw-like edges on segments.
• Christmas cactus has notched edges on segments that are smooth and rounded.
• Easter cactus has rounded edges with tiny bristles at the joints.

However, there are other differences that make these seasonal plants stand out from one another.

Thanksgiving Cactus

The Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) typically blooms from mid-November to late December, aligning with the Thanksgiving holiday. It is often found in stores labeled as a “Christmas cactus” due to its similar appearance, but its pointed segments and earlier blooming time make it unique

Featuring jagged, toothed edges on its flattened stems, or segments, the Thanksgiving cactus also has stunning blooms in pink, red, or white, that grow horizontal to the stems. They have a more tubular shape compared to the other varieties and possess yellow anthers.

The Thanksgiving cactus is slightly more resilient than the other holiday cactus varieties, making it a great choice for indoor settings and table centerpieces.

Christmas Cactus

The Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi), with its gracefully drooping, rounded-edged segments, blooms later than its Thanksgiving counterpart, typically from mid-December through January. These delicate flowers almost always come in pink and have purple-brown anthers.

Unlike the Thanksgiving cactus, the segments of the Christmas cactus are rounded and smooth, giving it a softer, more classic succulent appearance.

Christmas cacti are highly popular for their ease of care and striking blooms, making them a favorite for holiday decor or as a unique host or hostess gift idea. They thrive in slightly cooler indoor temperatures, which can help to prolong their bloom period, making them a lovely choice for holiday arrangements.

Easter Cactus

The Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri), or spring cactus, blooms later than both Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti, often producing flowers from March through May.

It has smooth, rounded leaf edges with no notches and fibrous stems. However, the Easter cactus' main attraction is its distinctive star-shaped flowers, which come in a variety of colors, including pink, red, and lavender. These beautiful blooms tend to open fully in the daylight and close at night.

Easter cacti are less commonly available during the winter months, as their blooming period aligns with spring, but their soft-hued flowers make them a refreshing sight when the winter cacti are out of season. Unlike the other holiday cacti, the Easter cactus prefers more humidity and moderate light levels.

Holiday Cacti Care Tips

Holiday cacti are relatively easy to care for, but understanding their needs can help ensure they thrive and bloom beautifully each year. Here are some essential care tips to keep your Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter cactus healthy and flowering:

• Light Holiday cacti prefer bright, indirect light. Direct sunlight, especially during warmer months, can burn their leaves. Place them in a spot that gets plenty of natural light without direct exposure, such as near a north or east-facing window.
• Temperature These plants thrive in cooler temperatures between 60-70°F (15-21°C) during the day and around 55°F (13°C) at night. Exposure to cool temperatures before the blooming season encourages bud formation. The ideal Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus temperature should be slightly cooler at night during fall to stimulate blooming.
• Watering Unlike desert cacti, holiday cacti are native to humid forests and require consistent moisture. Water thoroughly when the top inch of soil feels dry, but avoid letting the plant sit in water. Water less frequently in fall to encourage flowering, then resume regular watering once buds appear.
• Humidity Holiday cacti benefit from higher humidity levels, especially Easter cacti. If your home is dry, consider misting your plants occasionally or placing a tray of water nearby to raise humidity.
• Soil for Christmas cactus and other varieties should be well-draining. Choose a potting mix formulated for succulents or cacti, with added organic matter to retain moisture.
• Fertilize monthly with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer during the growing season, typically from spring to early fall. Christmas cactus fertilizer needs are reduced in late fall as they prepare for their bloom cycle. Stop feeding holiday cacti around this time.
• Repotting Christmas cactus and Thanksgiving cactus plants is necessary every 2-3 years, ideally after blooming. This keeps their roots healthy and allows the plant to grow, though they do prefer to be slightly root-bound.

Encouraging Blooms

Encouraging holiday cacti to bloom on schedule can require a bit of timing and care. All three types of cacti are termed short-day plants, which means they need 12-14 hours of uninterrupted dark, cool conditions to encourage blooming.

Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti require around 6 weeks of short days to encourage flowering while Easter cacti need 8-12 weeks of short days to facilitate blooming; right around the Easter holiday.

Reduce watering in the fall, and keep the plant in a cooler area that is not artificially lit in the evening. This will help mimic their natural blooming cycle and trigger bud development.

Both Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti may rebloom a second time in the spring although not quite as vigorously.

The process can be repeated year after year to ensure holiday blossoming. In fact, since Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti can live for up to a century, some holiday cacti become treasured heirlooms, passed down from generation to generation.

When you think of succulents you may just envision their unique forms and thickened leaves and stems. But bright and bold succulents produce eye popping flowers in the right conditions and are an important and easy to grow part of the spring and summer garden. So when selecting indoor or outdoor plants, consider some flowering, dazzling succulents to enliven your living spaces. 

Bright succulent flowers lend an exotic appeal to dish gardens, singular potted specimens and outdoor garden beds. One of the more commonly grown, hens and chicks, is a variety of Sempervivum, which is very hardy, low maintenance, and crowned with brightly colored blooms in summer. There are many more succulents with striking flowers that will bring a host of hues to your garden situations. 

Indoor Dazzling Succulents 

Many commonly available succulents are ready bloomers, but not hardy outdoors in most zones. These make perfect houseplants that will surprise you with electric flowers in a variety of colors. As an added bonus, they are tolerant of some neglect, require infrequent re-potting, and thrive in the home environment. The tropical holiday cacti are another group of succulent consistently available, especially around the winter holidays. They need a bit more moisture than most succulents but can thrive in moderate light, although bright light will promote more blooms. Flowers come in hues of pink, purple, and vibrant red. Some other indoor specimens to try that will produce flowers are:

• Mammillaria species. Generally small, daisy-like flowers in brilliant tones.
• Kalanchoe. A common gift plant that develops blooms in numerous colors.
• Crassula species. Many forms and varieties. Each produces clusters of tiny flowers.
• Echeveria. Rosette forms primarily, with stalks filled with bell-like blooms. 
• Senecios. Trailing plants with sweet little flowers, many of which have a spiced scent.

Bright Succulent Flowers for Outside

Many of our available succulents are native to hot, dry regions, and have little cold resistance. However, there are many that are excellent as garden bed plants. Some are groundcovers, while others are towering plants. Each has a unique flowering situation and interesting flower development. Sedums are one of those go-to plants that are quite hardy and form colorful flower clusters. Many are spreading, while others are larger groups of rosettes, perfect as stand-alone plants or in outdoor containers. Aeonium is another group of rosette formed plants. Often the leaves themselves are ornamental enough, but they will also develop tall blooming stalks. Also consider:

• Delosperma. Also called Ice Plant, quite hardy, spreading, with hot pink daisy-like blooms. 
• Yucca. A fairly large, spiky leaved succulent. Amazing tall shoots with awesome drooping flower clusters.
• Opuntia. Very hardy but prickly so take care where you plant this genus. The flowers are monstrous in hues of orange, hot pink, yellow, and red.
• Euphorbia. Another group of super hardy succulents with striking flowers.
• Aloe. Grow in a warm region or in a container to bring indoors in Autumn. Not all produce flowers so check your species tag carefully.

Growing Bright and Bold Succulents

Pay careful attention to any plant care tags, especially the hardiness zone. Select sites and soils with good drainage. You may have to amend in-ground sites with gritty material to encourage percolation. Situate plants where they get the correct amount of light. Although we think succulents need bright, hot locations, some prefer protection from the highest sun rays. Water when soil is dry on average, but infrequently in winter. To promote blooming, feed your plant with a succulent formula, diluted in water monthly from spring until mid-summer. 

The Fan Aloe plicatilis is a unique tree-like succulent. It is not cold hardy, but it’s perfect for use in southern landscapes or grown in a container indoors. Just make sure you have plenty of room for this South African native. It will eventually dwarf all your other plants, but growing Fan Aloe is worth it. It has a unique and beautiful leaf arrangement that is suggested by its name. 

Succulent plants are low maintenance and come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. The Fan Aloe vera plant is technically known as Aloe plicatilis, but is often lumped into the aloe vera category. It has plump leaves like aloe vera, but they are much longer and arranged in a fan shape. This Cape native can get quite large but, in a container, it will stay smaller. A fan aloe houseplant will still become a small tree as it matures. 

About the Fan Aloe Vera Plant

As mentioned, this is not an aloe vera, but a close cousin. Both can get a semi-woody trunk over time, with numerous branches. Where fan aloe plicatilis differs is in its leaves. They are long and strappy, densely packed together, and reach up to 12 inches (31 cm.) long. The leaves are bluish gray and grow closely in a fan shape. The plant can get between 3 and 6 feet (1-2 m.) tall with interesting gray bark. Each cluster of leaves produces an inflorescence with tube-shaped reddish orange flowers. The stem of the inflorescence soars above the leaves at up to 20 inches (51 cm.). The name "plicatilis" comes from the Latin for 'foldable.' 

Tips on Growing Fan Aloe

A fan aloe houseplant requires well-draining soil and bright light but protection from noonday's blaze. Set it a bit back from a southern or western window to prevent burning on the leaves. The plant is found growing wild in the mountains on rocky slopes where the soil is acidic. If you want to grow the plant outdoors, it is hardy to USDA zones 9 to 12. Elsewhere, it can be moved outside for summer but must be brought indoors before freezes are expected. You can propagate this aloe by seed or, for a quicker job, cuttings. Allow cuttings to callus for a few days before inserting them into a gritty medium. 

Fan Aloe Care

This succulent is self-cleaning, meaning it will drop old leaves itself. No pruning is necessary. If the plant is in good soil that drains well, it does not need fertilizing. It is adapted to poor soils. Fan aloe is considered a low-moisture plant, but it does best where there is some winter and spring precipitation. Indoor plants need to be kept moist but allow the soil to dry out between watering. Fan aloe is deer resistant, but it is prey to several pest issues. Among these are scale and mealybugs. Part of indoor fan aloe care is repotting every few years to refresh the soil. It doesn't need a large container but should be moved to larger pots as it outgrows its current site. 

Agave fans should try growing an Artichoke Agave plant. This species is native to New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, and into Mexico. It is a smaller Agave that can be used in a container or grown in-ground in warm regions, although it is hardy to 15 degrees F. (-9 C.). Artichoke Agave takes up to 10 years to mature and produce a flower stalk, but it is well worth the wait. 

About Artichoke Agave Parryi

The succulent has glorious, serrated, blue-green thick leaves tipped with wicked barbs. The leaves form a tight rosette that will enlarge over time. How big do Artichoke Agave get? The rosette can span 3 to 4 feet (1 m.) and grow 2 to 3 feet (61-91 cm.) tall. Some gardeners say the plant will flower after 10 years while others claim it takes up to 25, but the bloom is worth the time. The stalk can grow 12 feet (4 m.) in length. At the top, a panicle with orange buds that open to lemon yellow appears. Unfortunately, once the Agave blooms, the rosette will die. Don't worry though, it should have produced basal offsets by that time which will establish as new plants. These can be left in place or divided away from the dying parent and planted elsewhere. 

Planting an Artichoke Agave Plant

In the wild, these plants are found in rocky open areas, often at the edges of chaparral, pine, and oak forests, or grassland. The soil for in-ground plants needs to be well-draining. Add grit if the soil is compact. This can be in the form of gravel, rock, or sand. Do a test to see if it will drain quickly by digging a hole and filling it with water. Observe the water leaching away. If it takes 15 minutes or more, add grit. Artichoke Agave needs full sun but will be fine in partial shade. In cooler climes, plant the Agave in a container and move it indoors for winter. If planted where foot traffic occurs, it is a good idea to prune off the barbs at the edges of the leaves. 

Artichoke Agave Care

After planting, let the Agave adjust for a few days before you water. Once the plant is established it rarely needs water, except in the hottest season. Mulch around the plant with gravel or other non-organic material to prevent weeds and keep the soil warm. This Agave is deer resistant and not bothered by most diseases. The most common problem is overwatering which can promote rot diseases. Possible pests are the Agave weevil in native regions. Artichoke Agave is a great standalone plant but would be wonderful in a desert, rock, or Mediterranean garden.

Succulents have been hot decor items in recent years. This is likely due to the wide variety of sizes, hues, and forms. There are succulent wreaths, centerpieces, hanging terrariums, wall-mounted plants, and more. They are popular and relatively inexpensive options to replace flowers. So, a succulent bridal bouquet is a lovely choice for a wedding. What is a succulent bouquet? It sounds just like what it is. 

If you want some whimsy and natural form for your wedding, try using succulents. An interesting and charming option is making a succulent bouquet. A quick internet search shows plenty of succulent bouquet DIY tutorials. Learn how to create a succulent bouquet that adds a special touch to your happy day. 

What is a Succulent Bouquet?

The whole affair starts with choosing the perfect plants. Since succulents usually have short stems, you will also need floral tape and wire to make fake stems to grasp. The beauty of a succulent bridal bouquet is the ability to save these succulents long after the big day. They are a precious memento of your nuptials and can thrive for years once separated from their fake stems and planted. Or you can pot them up as a thank you for your bridal party. Additionally, you can use other flowers and plants when making a succulent bouquet. A variety of blooms will add even more texture and life to your posy. 

Tips on Succulent Bouquet DIY Projects

Select plants that will compliment your bridal decor. Succulents often have pastel tones which are complemented by soft greens and other pastel flowers. You can also opt for some dried stems to increase the diversity of the bouquet. Or you can keep the spray made up of only succulents. The choice is yours. Succulents like Aeonium and hens and chicks have natural rosette forms that look just like flowers. Succulents also do produce flowers, so depending on the time of year, you can source plants that also have blooms. 

How to Create a Succulent Bouquet

Things you will need:

• floral wire
• floral tape
• succulents and flowers if desired
• ribbon

Remove the succulents from their containers and gently brush off the soil. Leave the roots intact so you can replant them later. To make stems, take a length of wire and thread it through the base of the succulent. Wrap the wire around itself to make a sturdy stem. If you have large succulents do this twice. Then wrap the top part where it joins the plant with floral tape to hold the whole affair together. Combine the stems in an appealing manner, adding flowers or other items to the bouquet. Top it all off with a complimentary ribbon. Your DIY succulent bouquet is ready for the big day.

Aeonium succulents are wonderful rosette-formed plants. An excellent example is the saucer plant succulent. What is a saucer plant? It is a hard-to-find but easy-to-grow houseplant, or in warm regions, rockery specimen. If you get lucky enough to get your hands on one, here are a few tips on how to grow a saucer plant. 

The saucer plant Aeonium is a native of the Canary Islands. As such, it needs warm but not hot temperatures to thrive and has little to no cold tolerance. It is one of the largest specimens in the genus and can reach 6 feet (2 m.) tall when mature. The saucer plant succulent is not only architecturally appealing but also bears a striking inflorescence in pastel hues. 

What is a Saucer Plant? 

In the family Crassula, Aeonium plants are known to be easy to grow and sweet in form. The thick leaves are arranged in a rosette form with gradually larger leaves around the edge. Each green, slightly curved leaf has a prickle at the edge and is decorated with a rim of pink. The entire rosette can mature to about 1.5 feet (46 cm.) wide. Over time, the saucer plant Aeonium will develop a long stout stalk. After a few years, it will bear an inflorescence reaching 3 by 3 feet (1 x 1 m.) in size. The flowers are star-shaped in soft pink with yellow centers. 

How to Grow a Saucer Plant

Saucer plant care is easy on this stoic plant. Start with a well-draining container and use lightly gritty but loamy soil. Good drainage is essential to prevent any rot issues, but the soil should retain a bit of moisture. Unlike many succulents, this Aeonium prefers cool to warm weather and will stop growing when temperatures are too high. It thrives in temperatures between 65 and 76 degrees F. (18-24 C.). Situate the plant where it receives good but indirect light. They can even perform beautifully in partial shade, which makes them ideal for office settings. Although it can take years to bloom, the plant will often die after it produces an inflorescence. Collect seed when ripe to propagate the plant. 

Saucer Plant Care

Water the plant deeply when the soil is dry to the touch. The plant will need more water during its growing season and less when dormant. Container grown plants should be repotted every two to three years. The container size should just about match the width of the rosette. Feed the plant during the growing season, once per month, with a diluted by half-liquid plant food. Suspend feeding when the plant is dormant. Similarly, reduce watering by half when the plant is not actively growing. You can move plants outside during spring or in mild summers.

Succulents are known as one of the easier plants to grow. They make excellent houseplants and come in a myriad of forms, sizes, and colors, with some even producing glorious blooms. This group of plants is quite stoic regarding pot size, with many preferring to be pot bound for years. But eventually, even succulents need repotting, and timing, soil, container size, and follow up care are important.

Should I Repot My Succulent?

If your mixed container of succulents seems to be outgrowing its pot, it's time to replant. If your plants have been in the same container for months or even years, they’ve depleted the soil and have likely removed all the nutrients from it. So, even if the plants don't need to be moved to a new pot, they will benefit from repotting into new succulent-specific soil mix that's fortified with fresh minerals and vitamins.

Even if you fertilize your succulents, changing the soil is important for all plants that live in containers. It's good for the plants to have expanded room for the root system to continue growing. The top portion of the plants grows according to the size of the roots. So, whatever the reason, repotting succulent plants is a necessary task. Make it one that’s fun by dividing plants when needed and creating an interesting display.

When to Repot Succulents

Before we go into how to repot succulents, timing should be discussed. Most plants, and succulents are no exception, experience a dormant period in winter. Lower light levels, the shorter duration of light, and cooler temperatures signal a plant to hibernate and suspend active growing.

The best time for repotting succulents is in late fall to very early spring. During these months, the plant will just be biding its time until the warmer, sunnier season and is less apt to be damaged by uprooting it and repotting. Repotting succulents in the active growing season can damage stems, leaves, or roots, so it is best to time things when the plant is dormant.

Getting Ready to Repot Succulents

Water plants well before repotting. You’ll need to let them dry out before removing them from the container. Skip this step if you’ve recently watered. The goal here is to get the plant’s leaves filled up with water, so it can go for a few weeks without needing to be watered again right after repotting.

Choose a bigger container if you are moving succulents that have gotten too big for their old pot. The size of container and the soil type are important considerations prior to repotting the plant. Knowing the growth rate can be helpful in determining the size of a container.

The type of container may be an issue as well. Desert type succulents do not like to be in wet soil. Using a terracotta or other unglazed pot will allow evaporation of any extra moisture, keeping the roots healthy. Most succulents do not have deep root systems. Therefore, a fairly shallow container is sufficient. Select a container that is just slightly larger than the plant’s footprint. It's also absolutely essential that the container have a drainage hole, preferably several.

If you want to put your succulents back into their current pot, choose which plants you’ll remove from the arrangement. Some plants may have doubled with new shoots. You can repot only part of a plant if desired.

Soil is one of the most crucial elements. Regular potting soil does not drain well enough to protect some succulents from waterlog and root rot. Commercial succulent soil or cactus soil is usually easy to find at garden stores. Alternatively, you can make your own. Desert succulents like gritty soil that is well draining. Mix together 3 parts potting soil, 2 parts grit such as sand, and 1 part perlite or pumice. This will allow for good drainage and provide an appropriate habitat for desert varieties.

Rainforest succulents need a bit richer soil, but it should still be well draining. These can be repotted using regular potting mix. Plants like Christmas cactus need a soilless mixture. 1 part succulent mix, 1 part orchid mix, and 1 part sand or gravel will make the best medium for such plants.

How to Repot a Succulent

Slide the edge of your hand, spade, or large spoon to the bottom of the pot and under the plant. This will help you to take the complete root system.

Try to remove each plant without breaking any roots. This is difficult, and impossible in some situations. Make cuts through roots and soil to make it easier to remove them. Shake off or remove as much of the old soil as you can. Before replanting, treat the roots with rooting hormone or cinnamon. If roots have broken or if you’ve cut them, leave them out of the pot for a few days to callous over. Replant into dry soil and wait for ten days to two weeks before watering.

After repotting desert succulents, wait a few days to water. Other varieties may be watered in at transplant.

How to Repot Succulent Arrangements

If you’re repotting into the same planter, remove all the plants as mentioned above and put them to the side until you wash the container and fill it with fresh soil. If no roots were broken, you may moisten the soil. Put broken roots into dry soil only to avoid root damage and rot. Leave an inch or two (2.5-5 cm) between plants to allow for room to grow.

Fill the container almost to the top so the succulents sit on top and are not buried in the pot.

Return the pot to a location with lighting similar to what they were previously accustomed.

Repotting Cuttings and Offsets

During the repotting of succulents it may be necessary to remove leggy or extraneous plant material. Propagating new succulents from these cuttings is extremely easy.

Many common succulent houseplants will produce offsets over time. These pups are the young form of the parent plant. In most cases they are easily divided away from the parent. Give the young plant a gentle tug to ensure it has developed sufficient roots to be separated. The offset should also be large enough to easily handle prior to division.

Use a sharp, sterile implement to cut the young plant away from the parent. If you are repotting a spiny or thorny plant, use thick gloves, items like kitchen tongs, or even wrap newspaper around the spikes for safe transfer to new containers. Simply place the cuttings in a new pot, and they should easily take root.

In the case of cacti, allow the cutting to callus for several days prior to placing it in a container with the same medium the original plant enjoyed.

As we expand our succulent collections, we might consider planting them in combination pots and search for other ways to add more interest to our displays. Looking down on a single succulent plant may not show much diversity. One way to make our displays more eye-catching is by nestling succulent containers inside each other. 

Nestled Pots for Succulents

Planting succulents in nestled pots, a pot inside of another pot, provides space to add a variety of succulent types to expand interest. By allowing a couple of inches (5 cm.) in the bottom pot, we can plant cascading succulents like string of pearls or string of bananas and add color by using a semi-succulent type such as Tradescantia zebrina. 

Most often, nestled pots are the same, just in different sizes. However, the outer pot may be more decorative with a smaller simpler pot nestled into it. The inner pot sets on soil in the outer pot, making its rim an inch or two (2.5-5 cm.) higher, sometimes several inches (8 cm.) taller than the outer container. This varies and since many succulent pots in pots are DIY creations, you can put them together any way you choose.

Choose pots that are compatible and that complement the plants you’ll put into them. For instance, plant the purple Tradescantia zebrina in white pots for the contrast of color. You might choose plants first and containers afterward. This way, you’ll know what soil is appropriate for the succulents you’ll use.

Cracked or broken pots may be used for the outer container. Pieces of broken terra cotta pots can sometimes add an interesting element when visibly located in one of the pots. You can use as many pots in this display as you can comfortably stack. All pots should have drainage holes. Cover these with a small square of window screening wire or coir to hold the soil in.

How to Make a Pot in Pot Container

Fill the bottom pot with the appropriate soil and tamp down. Bring it high enough that the inner pot is at the level you desire. 

Once the inner pot is at the right level, fill in around the sides. You may plant the inner pot when it’s in position, but it is easier to plant in before you position it into the container. I do it this way unless the inner pot will hold a delicate plant. 

Leave room for plantings in the outer pot. Plant them after positioning the inner pot, then cover them with soil to an appropriate level. Don’t put soil all the way to the top of the outer pot, leave an inch (2.5 cm.), sometimes more. 

Keep an eye on the appearance as you’re planting the outer pot. Use cuttings for an easy way to fill the outside container. Leave some space for young plants or cuttings to grow and fill out.

A crinkle leaf houseplant is not at all cold hardy and should be kept indoors except during the summer. In spite of its frailty in chilly climes, it makes an easy-to-grow plant indoors. The crinkle leaf succulent is native to South Africa and needs warm temperatures and moderate water to thrive. 

What is a Crinkle Leaf Plant?

The Cristatus crinkle leaf plant is related to the Kalanchoe plant, which is often found in plant gift stores. The crinkle leaf houseplant is hardy to USDA zone 9a and above. If you live below this zone, it will be part of your indoor plant colony. The plant has 2 inch (5 cm.) long grayish green leaves with ruffled edges forming a rosette shape. Newer central leaves are deeper green and slightly curled. All foliage is pleasantly fuzzy. Tubular flowers grow on an 8 inch (20 cm.) stalk. They are white with pale red edges. 

Crinkle Leaf Succulent Facts

These small succulents are found wild in the eastern Cape province of South Africa. They are in the genus Adromischus. The name comes from the Greek 'adros' meaning thick, and 'mischos' meaning stem. There are many species in the genus, but only A. cristatus has the signature triangular leaves. There are several cultivars from the parent plant including Indian Clubs, which produce fat, oval, club-like foliage. You can propagate crinkle leaf plants just from a leaf. Place it on cactus soil and wait until it roots. In time you will have more plants.

Crinkle Leaf Plant Care

If growing the plant indoors, keep it away from cold windows and drafty areas. Place the container in a bright window but avoid exposing the leaves to searing light. Use very gritty soil and a well-draining container. Water when soil is dry to the touch in spring and summer. The soil should be moderately moist but not soggy. In fall and winter, water about half the time as the plant is in a dormant state. Crinkle leaf plants can be fertilized once in spring with a time-release formula. If you live where it is warm, keep the plant outside provided nights are not too cool. Keep watch for pests like mealybugs. 

If you’re new to growing succulents, you may want to try your hand at the bear paw succulent.

What is a Bear Paw Succulent? 

With dark red edges, the fuzzy foliage of the bear paw (Cotyledon tomentosa) is squat and chubby with upper tips that resemble an animal's foot or paw. The dark red appears when the plant is mildly stressed and makes the shape stand out, drawing attention to the attractive shrub-like plant. It is small and fragile, with leaves becoming chubbier with the amount of water they hold. 

The succulent bear paw is an indoor plant recommended for those new to growing plants inside. In botanical terms, tomentosa means covered with short, dense, matted hairs or covered with fuzz. You’ll likely see the term associated with other botanical plant names.

Succulent plants with fuzzy leaves are not hard to grow, as many assume. The main thing is to water at the roots and avoid getting foliage wet when possible. This is good advice for watering all succulents.

Growing Bear Paw Succulents

If this is your first succulent growing experience or if you’re new to growing them, benefit by learning the basics with bear paw succulent care. Start off by planting it in the right soil. Soil is important to succulents, as keeping the water from settling on the roots.

Too much water around plant roots can lead to root rot. Many succulents originated in dry areas where rainfall is rare. Thus, their capability to hold water in the leaves for future watering means many are acclimated to consistently dry soil. Grow the bear paw in a well-draining gritty mix. Use soil amendments like pumice, coarse sand, and pebbles.

While watering is beneficial to most succulents, too much of it is not a good thing. Those located in more sun will need watering more often, but it needs to be spread out more than the watering of non-succulent ornamentals. Overwatering is the primary cause of succulent demise. 

Care of Bear Paw Plants

Place the plant into a brightly lit situation indoors and outside. Some recommend a full sunspot, but most advise no more than acclimating to morning sun. Of course, this depends on the time of year and geographical location. 

Afternoon sun in more southern areas may be too much for the plant, causing leaves to drop. Most growers recommend six hours of bright indirect light. You can judge after you’ve located your plant.

The happy, properly positioned bear claw may produce large, orange, bell-shaped flowers during spring. If your temperatures allow it to grow outside through winter, water in early spring. After watering, you may lightly fertilize with phosphorous heavy food to encourage blooms. Otherwise, limit water in winter. This plant is not cold hardy and is summer dormant.

Growing a Bishop’s Cap (Astrophytum myriostigma) is fun, easy, and a great addition to your cactus collection. 

What is Bishop’s Cap Cactus?

Spineless with a globular to cylindrical stem, this cactus grows in the shape of a star. It is native to mountainous regions of northern and central Mexico and has easily found its way across the border to gain popularity in the U.S. In Mexico, it grows in chalky soil in stony ground. It grows happily here in USDA hardiness zones 10 and 11 and as a container plant in lower zones.

Daisy-like flowers bloom on the mature Bishop’s Cap, yellow with a red to orange center. While each flower lasts just a couple of days, they bloom in succession and flowers may be present for an extended time. The beautiful blooms are slightly fragrant and just another good reason to grow this beautiful plant.

As the plant grows, white hairy scales appear in the form of a Bishop’s mitre, a headdress worn by the religious leader. This earns the five-pointed plant another common name – Deacon’s Hat and Monk’s Hood. 

The plant normally has five protruding ribs, creating the star shape, but it can have four to eight speckled ribs. These develop as the plant matures.

Bishop’s Cap Cactus Care

If you purchase or otherwise receive the Bishop’s Cap plant at a young age, don’t expose it to full sun. It can take full sun in maturity but usually does better in light shade. This cactus often grows well on a dappled sun windowsill but be careful if the sun shines through. 

Bishop’s Cap cactus info says the plant is hard to kill unless you grow it in rich soil or water too heavily. Grow Bishop’s Cap in a fast-draining gritty mix. Provide only moderate water in spring and summer and keep this cactus completely dry during fall and winter. As soon as temperatures begin to drop in autumn, withhold the water.

If you wish to fertilize the cactus, use a low-nitrogen content food only in spring and summer. Bishop’s Cap has a protective covering of chalky scales, giving it a silver tone. Be gentle with them as they won’t grow back if accidentally rubbed off.

Common plant names are interesting. In the case of Silver Torch cactus plants (Cleistocactus strausii), the name is extremely characterizing. These are eye-catching succulents that will astound even the most jaded cactus collector. Keep reading for Silver Torch cactus facts that will astonish and make you yearn for a specimen if you don't already have one. 

Cacti come in a dazzling array of sizes, forms, and colors. Growing a Silver Torch cactus plant will provide your home with one of the most stunning examples of these succulents. Make sure you have plenty of room for the multiple 10 foot (3 m.) tall stems. 

Silver Torch Cactus Facts

The genus name, Cleistocactus, comes from the Greek "kleistos," which means closed. This is a direct reference to the plant's flowers which don't open. The group is native to the mountains of Peru, Uruguay, Argentina, and Bolivia. They are columned plants that generally have numerous stems and come in many sizes. 

Silver Torch itself is quite large but can be used as a potted plant. Interestingly, cuttings from this cactus rarely root, so propagation is best through seed. Hummingbirds are the chief pollinator of the plant. 

About Silver Torch Plants

In the landscape, the potential size of this cactus makes it a focal point in the garden. The slender columns are comprised of 25 ribs, covered in areoles that bristle with four 2 inch (5 cm.) light yellow spines surrounded by 30 to 40 shorter white, almost fuzzy spines. The whole effect actually looks like the plant is in a Muppet suit and simply lacks eyes and a mouth. 

When plants are old enough deeply pink, horizontal flowers appear in late summer. Bright red fruits form from these blooms. USDA zones 9 and 10 are suitable for growing a Silver Torch cactus outdoors. Otherwise, use it in a greenhouse or as a large houseplant. 

Silver Torch Cactus Care

This cactus needs full sun but in the hottest regions, it prefers some shelter from the midday heat. The soil should be free-draining but does not have to be particularly fertile. Water the plant spring through summer when the top of the soil is dry. By fall, reduce watering to every five weeks if the ground is dry to the touch. 

Keep the plant dry in winter. Fertilize with a slow-release food in early spring that is low in nitrogen. Silver Torch cactus care is similar when potted. Re-pot every year with fresh soil. Move pots indoors if a freeze threatens. In the ground, plants can tolerate a brief freeze without significant damage.