Christmas Cactus Vs Thanksgiving Cactus: The Different Types Of Holiday Cactus Explained

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.