How to Care for Holiday Cactus

  

The striking flowers of the plant commonly called the holiday cactus, may catch your attention in stores and garden centers around this time of year.  Their bell-shaped blooms in shades of red, pink, orange, or white will add a cheerful note to your indoor garden during the holidays.  Sometimes labeled Zygocactus, it’s important to note that holiday cactus or Zygocactus are tropical plants- they aren’t from the desert.  

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 cacti which includes Easter cactus. 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 cactus is rounder. Thanksgiving cactus flowers tend to bend upward, while Christmas cactus flowers tend to hang down.

The recent introduction of hybrid cacti 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 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 low 70°s and nighttime temperatures in the 50⁰s to 60°s will help promote blooming.   

  

Holiday cacti don’t like drafts, so place them away from heating vents, fireplaces, ceiling fans and doors that open to the outdoors.  
 

 

From April to October, feed your cactus every two weeks with a water-soluble fertilizer such as 15-30-15.  

  

Holiday cacti have a shallow root system, so it’s important to know when to water them. An effective way to check the soil moisture level is to stick your finger into the soil. If the top inch or so is dry, then it’s time to water.

Another way to tell if it’s time to water is to stick a pencil in the soil. A clean pencil means it’s time to water. When you water, thoroughly enough so the water comes out the drain holes. Let the plant sit for a minute or so, then remove any excess water from the saucer.

  

Holiday cacti like high humidity and an easy way to increase humidity is to place small rocks 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. 

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.  Spring is a good time to repot holiday cacti.  

  

With a little care, your holiday cactus will produce healthy foliage and beautiful blooms for many years to come.