What to Do With Your Christmas Cactus After It Flowers to Get a Second Flush in Spring (Plus, What Not to Do!)
Far from being just a brief seasonal holiday guest, the Christmas cactus is capable of repeat flowering in spring. Here’s how to encourage a vibrant second flush with this late winter reset
Amy Draiss
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
Why isn't my cactus reblooming?
The most common cause of non-flowering is usually light pollution. If the plant is in a room where a TV or a bright lamp is turned on for several hours every evening, your Christmas cactus won't get the 13-14 hours of total darkness it needs to set buds. Try covering it with a box or moving it to a dark closet from 6pm to 8am.
Does the age of the cactus matter for a second flush?
You might be thinking this is a problem for older plants, but in fact they are often more reliable bloomers. Christmas cacti are incredibly long-lived and have a massive capacity for regrowth (and reflowering) if treated well. As long as the plant is healthy and not suffering from root rot, even a woody-stemmed cactus has the stored energy to put on a massive spring show.
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:
These snips allow you to make clean cuts at the joints without tearing segments or damaging the main stem.
Top-dressing with a well-draining succulent/citrus potting mix blend is a great way to top up supplies without repotting. Use this to refresh the top layer in February.
This liquid feed provides the high phosphorus and potassium levels needed for triggering fresh flower production. Use a balanced 2-7-7 or similar ratio fertilizer.
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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