Christmas Cactus Care Guide: Grow A Thriving Schlumbergera With Abundant Blooms

Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi) is a sought-after festive plant that puts on a spectacular floral show over the holidays. If this is a new plant for you, then it's important to understand that it hails from tropical forests, and therefore Christmas cactus care is quite different from desert cacti.

There are three main types of holiday cactus, and though Christmas cactus is often used as a collective term, it does differ slightly from its cousins, the Thanksgiving cactus and Easter cactus. In particular, Thanksgiving cacti are frequently termed Christmas cacti.

If you aren't sure which type you have, the good news is that Thanksgiving cactus care and Easter cactus care are very similar, with a focus on encouraging blooms around their namesake holidays. Easter cacti are more particular, however, so it's worth reading up on their requirements.

With proper care, the Christmas cactus can live for 100 years or more and many families pass them down through the generations. Follow our advice to keep your plant in perfect health and flowering right on schedule.

Identifying a Christmas Cactus

Thanksgiving, Easter, and Christmas cactus varieties all bloom with beautiful tropical flowers and have softly pointed leaves, but there are differences among them.

Schlumbergera x buckleyi (syn. Schlumbergera bridgesii) is the true Christmas cactus, but Schlumbergera truncata – otherwise known as the Thanksgiving cactus – is also often sold as a Christmas cactus.

Unlike the spiky leaves of Thanksgiving cactus, the Christmas cactus has notched leaves that are rounded and smooth. Its stems droop over in an arch-like formation.

Christmas cactus flowers are magenta to pink in color with purple anthers (the part of the stamen that holds pollen), while both other varieties have yellow anthers.

The Thanksgiving cactus has more notched, jagged stems and blooms earlier, closer to its namesake holiday. Its flowers are more tubular, in shades of pink, red, or white.

The Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri, formerly Schlumbergera gaertneri) blooms in the spring and has distinctive star-shaped flowers in a variety of colors. It prefers slightly more light and humidity than other holiday cacti.

Christmas Cactus Care Guide

The Christmas cactus is an epiphyte plant native to Brazil, where it grows in tree branches and rock crevasses beneath the canopies of tropical forests. It attaches to its hosts using aerial roots and absorbs moisture and nutrients from surrounding humus and plant debris.

Christmas cacti have little tolerance for cold so are commonly grown as houseplants. However, with a little consideration, they can be grown outdoors in the summer months.

For many growers, caring for these plants revolves around making a Christmas cactus bloom in time for the holidays. While the plants are not high maintenance, you do have to follow a few simple rules to get a good show of flowers.

Light Requirements

In their natural environment, Christmas cacti are understorey plants that receive mostly filtered sunlight. When grown as houseplants, they are best placed near a bright window protected from the extreme rays of afternoon sun.

Morning sun is best, so an east-to-south-east window is ideal, with a sheer curtain if needed. Outside, the plants will thrive on the north side of the home or the north side of a fence or other building. This will provide the light screening necessary to keep the plant from burning.

In the weeks leading up to flowering, Christmas cactus requires a long uninterrupted period of darkness each night. Place it in a room where it can experience 13-14 hours of total darkness each night, or cover it with a box or breathable bag.

How Often To Water

Christmas cactus watering needs are different from those of a desert cactus. Unlike desert varieties, these cacti are native to areas with tropical rainfall during part of the year. When rainfall isn’t present they get moisture from dew and grow from organic matter deposits or where moss grows. Sites like these aren’t naturally moist all the time, nor are they extremely dry.

To provide enough moisture, the plant requires frequent and thorough watering during its active growth in spring and summer, with the soil staying slightly moist.

When the plant is dormant in the cooler seasons, the plant doesn't need as much moisture, so keep it a bit drier.

Always allow the plant’s moisture levels to drop and dry out some between watering intervals, but don’t let it dry completely. At the same time, never let the Christmas cactus sit in water, as this will lead to stem and root rot.

Overwatered Christmas cactus care involves removing the plant from its container, rinsing it and trimming rotten roots, then allowing it to dry out before repotting.

Temperature & Humidity

When considering how to care for Christmas cactus plants, keep in mind they prefer moderate warmth and average to high humidity levels.

During the spring and summer, the ideal daytime Christmas cactus temperature is between 65 and 75°F (18-24°C), with nighttime temperatures of 60 to 65°F (15-18°C).

However, to force flowering, plants require a cooler period during the fall, with daytime temperatures of 60 to 70°F (15-21°C) and nighttime temperatures of 55 to 60°F (12-15°C). Night temperatures above 70°F (21°C) will inhibit bud development. The plants should remain cool until things start to warm up in the spring.

September is the time to move the plant to a cooler location of the home, which will signal to the plant that it’s time to bloom.

Avoid exposing the plant to sudden temperature changes, cold drafts, or unvented heaters.

Christmas cacti thrive with 50-60 percent humidity, which is higher than the average home interior. Placing a tray of pebbles filled with water beneath the container is a good way to increase humidity for houseplants. The evaporation of this water will add moisture to the ambient air without exposing the roots to excess water.

Best Fertilizer

From spring through to the end of August, feed your holiday cactus once a month. The ideal Christmas cactus fertilizer is a houseplant fertilizer such as 20-20-20, used at half strength. It is important to dilute the feed, as the root system of the Christmas cactus is fine and shallow, and can be damaged by overfertilization.

In the fall, when the flower buds begin to form, either stop fertilizing or switch to a low-nitrogen formula that is higher in phosphorus and potassium. This will boost flower development and prompt your Christmas cactus to bloom by holiday time.

In addition to a balanced fertilizer, an occasional application of Epsom salts dissolved in water (one teaspoon of salts in one gallon of water) will fuel the plant's high magnesium requirements. Do this no more than once a month, and not in the same week as fertilizing.

Potting Soil

Christmas cactus soil should be a well-draining, loamy mix with good fertility. It should also have a slightly acidic soil pH – 5.5 to 6.2 is ideal.

You can use a soil mix formulated for cacti and succulents, or make your own potting medium by mixing three parts of houseplant potting soil with two parts perlite or vermiculite. Experienced growers often include milled peat, moss, or pine bark in the mix.

Repotting a Christmas Cactus

Christmas cacti prefer to be pot-bound, but eventually, they will deplete the soil of nutrients and require repotting. Do this every two to four years.

Learning how to repot Christmas cactus plants is not too different than for most other houseplants, except you should only go up one pot size, allowing only a bit more room than the canopy. The new container must have drainage holes, to prevent waterlogging.

Repotting should be done after the plants have bloomed, in late winter or early spring. Unless the plant is in poor health, it should not be attempted in the fall as it may disrupt flowering.

To repot a Christmas cactus, remove the plant from its pot and gently loosen the roots. Fill the bottom of the new pot with fresh potting mix and replant so the top of the root ball is about an inch (2.5cm) below the rim. Fill in around the roots with fresh potting mix and lightly pat down the soil.

Water the plant with moderation then place it in a shady spot for two or three days, before resuming the plant's normal care routine.

Care After Flowering

The Christmas cactus will bloom for several weeks – as many as eight weeks, ceasing in early to mid-winter.

Deadheading spent blooms will encourage the plant to produce more flowers, then once it's finished you should remove the remaining blooms.

Continue creating seasonal conditions for plant dormancy, and you can encourage a second flush of flowers in late winter to early spring. To do this, keep the cactus in a cooler part of the house with 13-14 hours of darkness overnight, and water minimally.

Plants will resume active growth in the spring, once blossoming has finished. At this stage, you can start fertilizing and slightly increase watering frequency.

How to Prune a Christmas Cactus

For the most part, Christmas cacti do not need pruning, but they can benefit from an occasional tidy-up after flowering. Doing so can also make the plant appear fuller and promote a more attractive shape.

When deciding how to prune a Christmas cactus, focus on any damaged or diseased areas. Cutting sections with sharp, sterile hand pruners at the section joint will promote more branching.

If you are pruning a Christmas cactus to reduce its size, then remove no more than one-third of the plant each year.

If you have neglected your Christmas cactus and it has become dried up, straggly, and looks to be dead, try hard pruning it. Cut it all the way back to the soil level, and water it lightly each day. It will probably surprise you by coming back to life.

Christmas Cactus Propagation

It's easy to learn how to propagate Christmas cactus from root cuttings and will result in lots of new plants to gift to loved ones around the holidays.

1. Start by taking a few cuttings from the plant, using clean, sharp hand pruners. Select healthy foliage, with segments comprising at least two or three jointed sections.
2. Allow the segments to dry out for a few days until the cut ends have formed calluses.
3. Insert the callused end to about a quarter of its length deep into slightly sandy soil. You can place several in one pot.
4. Moisten the soil evenly and cover the pot with a plastic bag.
5. Place the pot in a well-lit area, avoiding direct sunlight.
6. The cutting should show signs of growth within a few weeks, at which time you can remove the bag and the plant can be transferred to another container with a looser potting soil mix of compost, loam, and sand.

Problems, Pests & Disease

Though generally trouble-free plants, Christmas cactus problems can arise, requiring attention. Plants that are in poor health will rarely flower, so it's essential to diagnose and deal with issues as soon as possible.

• Buds Falling Off Christmas Cactus
  This is one of the hardest issues to diagnose, requiring a process of elimination. The problem may be caused by incorrect watering, a lack of humidity, sudden temperature changes, drafty conditions, excessive heat, incorrect light, or over-fertilizing. Consider the probability of each issue and correct any imbalances.
• Christmas Cactus Flowers Falling Off
  Look out for flowers prematurely wilting before dropping off. This issue is most often caused by underwatering, but could also be caused by a lack of humidity or sudden temperature changes. If underwatering is the culprit, do not overcorrect the issue, as it could quickly lead to root rot. Give the plant a good soak, allow the water to drain through, then resume with a new regime, checking regularly to see if the soil has dried out before watering again.
• Christmas Cactus Wilting
  A limp, wilting plant is usually caused by incorrect watering. Overwatering can be devastating to Christmas cacti, but if growers are over-cautious, the plants will slowly die from dehydration.
• Christmas Cactus Dropping Leaves 
  Too much moisture is the most common cause, especially if accompanied by yellowing leaves. However, incorrect temperatures or sudden ambient changes can also cause leaf drop.
• Christmas Cactus with Yellow Leaves
  This is a common issue with several possible causes, so use a process of elimination. Root rot or disease are the worst-case scenarios, so check for these first before considering the other options, which include too much sunlight and a lack of nutrients.

• Christmas Cactus Turning Purple
  If leaves start to turn purple or red, this usually suggests poor nutrition, so assess your fertilizing schedule. Otherwise, the plant might need repotting if it is not able to uptake nutrients in the soil. Excessive light can also cause discolored leaves, so if you suspect this to be the issue, more your cactus to a spot where it receives bright but indirect light.
• Christmas Cactus Diseases
  Most diseases affecting the plant are fungal, although bacterial diseases can also occur. Check for rot, lesions, spots, browning, and mold. Where disease is strongly suspected, apply a fungicide as a soil drench, then repot in fresh soil, trimming away diseased roots and sections. If the plant continues to decline, then it should be discarded.
• Christmas Cactus Root Rot
  This is a serious disease that's almost always caused by overwatering. Symptoms include yellowing and dropping leaves, and slimy brown or black roots. A rotting smell may also be present. If root rot is caught early, you might be able to save the plant by trimming and cleaning infected roots, dusting a natural fungicide such as cinnamon, letting the plant dry out, then repotting.
• Christmas Cactus Pests
  If your plant spent summer outdoors, then you need to inspect it for pests and treat where present. Mealybugs and scale are common invaders who can weaken plants and cause stunted growth. Treat with homemade insecticidal soap or wipe them away with a cotton ball dipped in alcohol.
• Woody Stems on Christmas Cactus
  Woody stems are natural and more likely to develop on older plants. They don't need fixing, but if the branches become too long and heavy, or the plant is overgrown, then you can trim them. Usually you can reduce a branch by up to three quarters in length. However, very woody stems can be cut all the way back to the wood, where they will produce new green growth.