How to Care for Holiday Cactus

 

  

This time of year, you’ll find many holiday-specific plants, including Cyclamen, Poinsettia, Amaryllis, and of course, holiday cactus. Each kind of holiday cactus typically flowers around the holiday it’s named for; Thanksgiving cactus in bloom now, followed by the Christmas cactus later in the season, then Easter or Spring cactus.  Known collectively as holiday cacti, all three are native to Brazil’s natural forests.

An easy way to identify each cactus type is to look at the end of the stem. Thanksgiving cactus stems have claw-like edges while the Christmas variety is rounder.  

 

 

If you have a plant that came from a cutting off your grandmother’s fifty-year-old cactus, it’s most likely one or the other.  

  

 

 

While there are only a few varieties in the original group of cacti, several cultivars have been developed which has expanded the range of colors available.   

  

When it comes to caring for your holiday cacti plants, it’s important to know how they grow in their natural environment. Holiday cacti grow at elevation and in the forest shade, hanging from their perches on trees or cliffs. They’re not exposed to direct sunlight nor high temperatures. In your home, they’ll do best when located in a place where they will receive bright, indirect light, daytime temperatures in the 70’s and nighttime temperatures in the 60’s.  

 

 

Holiday cacti don’t like drafts, so place them away from heating vents, fireplaces or doors that open to the outdoors. During the bloom season, feed your cactus every two weeks with a water-soluble fertilizer such as 5-10-5. When it comes to watering, check the soil moisture with your index finger. If the top inch or so is dry, then it’s time to water. Holiday cacti like high humidity and an easy way to increase humidity is to place small pebbles in a saucer, add water and set the plant on the saucer. Make sure the pot is sitting on the rock, not in the water.  If the plant begins to drop buds, it’s a sign of overwatering, insufficient light, or low humidity. 

Holiday cacti prefer to be root-bound and can easily go three or four years without repotting. When you decide to repot, choose a pot one size larger and use potting soil that drains well. Holiday cactus will stay green year-round. Continue to feed your cactus plant every two weeks with a 5-10-5 fertilizer. With a little care, your holiday cactus will produce beautiful blooms for many years to come.