Just as the days are their darkest and winter begins, the Christmas cactus starts to bloom. The radiant petals of pink, red, white, or yellow are a highlight of the holiday season, and keep blooming until mid-winter. Preparing this houseplant to bloom is easy, but requires some know-how. Here’s a guide to holiday care and healthy houseplant growth all year-round!
General Care for Christmas Cactus
Despite the name, the Christmas cactus is actually a succulent, not a cactus. It comes from the rainforests of Southern Brazil, where it grows beneath a shady canopy and on well-draining rocks or trees—important clues to keep in mind when you consider its light, water, and soil needs:
- Light: since they’re not desert plants but forest creatures, Christmas cactus prefer diffused or indirect light. Direct sun during the summer or spring scorches their soft leaves, but they don’t mind sun exposure during the winter.
- Water: again, these houseplants aren’t from the desert, meaning they do need moisture. Water them thoroughly once the top third of the soil is dry. Let the water run through the pot and empty the tray after 15 minutes. Take care to keep them well-watered when they bloom.
- Soil: Christmas cactus can adapt to different soils. A potting mix for succulents, or even a regular potting mix will do fine, as long as it’s well-draining.
How Do I Make My Christmas Cactus Bloom?
A Christmas cactus naturally blooms during the holiday season, but it does need declining sunlight and a shift in nighttime temperatures in order to flower.
- Give Them Enough Darkness: they need at least 12-14 hours of darkness each night 6-8 weeks before Christmas. That’s not a problem in Illinois, but the lights inside your home may disturb them. If you like to turn your lights on bright and early, take care to cover your Christmas Cactus in a blanket overnight, or keep them in a room where they’ll get their proper beauty sleep.
- Keep Them Cool at Night: they like to feel the temperatures drop at night, ideally to 55-65 degrees. You can either lower your thermostat to accommodate them, keep them in a room with a larger temperature dip, or do a combination of both. However, take care to keep them away from cold drafts, as they may drop their buds in spells below 50 degrees.
- Watch for Flower Buds: when the flowers start to bud, you can relax their light/dark schedule, and keep on top of their watering.
Blossom Drop in Christmas Cactus
When exposed to a stressor, like a sudden change in temperature or a lapse in watering, Christmas cactus are known to drop their flowers. To avoid this, stay on top of your care routine during the months before Christmas and throughout their bloom-time. A few dropping blossoms are normal. If a major flower shedding occurs, learn from your mistake, but don’t worry, they’ll bloom again next year.
Year-Round Care for Christmas Cactus
Christmas cactus enjoy a holiday during the summer months. You can move them to a shady spot in your garden or even plant them. Just remember to wait until temperatures are above 50 degrees at night, and move them indoors again before 50 degree weather returns.
Platt Hill Nursery is Chicago’s premier garden center and nursery in the Chicagoland area.