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 is in bloom now, followed by the Christmas cactus later in the season. These plants belong to a group of mountain cactus which includes Easter cactus. Known collectively as holiday cactus, these plants are easy to grow and have similar care requirements. All three are native to Brazil, the Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus are tropical rain forest plants, while the Easter cactus grows in Brazil’s natural forests. An easy way to identify each cactus type is to look at the end of the stem. 

Thanksgiving cactus leaves have claw-like edges while the Christmas is rounder. Thanksgiving cactus flowers tend to bend upward, while Christmas cactus flowers tend to hang down. The recent introduction of hybrid cactus tends to blur the line between Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus, but if you have a plant that came from a cutting of your grandmother’s fifty-year-old cactus, it’s most like likely one or the other. 

Holiday cactuses need bright, indirect light and will do best in a cool, bright spot out of direct sun. An east-facing window is ideal. Holiday cactus bloom on their own in response to shorter days and cooler temperatures. Daytime temperatures in the 70°s and nighttime temperatures in the 60°s will help promote blooming.  Holiday cactus 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 15-30-15. When it comes to watering, holiday cactus plants prefer to be on the dry side. An easy way to tell if your plant needs watering is to stick your finger into the soil. If the top inch or so is dry, then it’s time to water. Holiday cactus like high humidity and an easy way to increase humidity is to place small rock 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. Don’t be in a rush to repot holiday cactus. They prefer to be root-bound and can easily go three or four years without repotting. When you decide to repot, chose a pot one size larger and use a potting soil that drains well. Holiday cactus will stay green year-round. Continue to feed your cactus plant every two weeks with a 10-15-10 fertilizer. With a little care, your holiday cactus will produce beautiful blooms for many years to come.