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How To Care For a Christmas Cactus, Thanksgiving Cactus, or Easter Cactus

Christmas Cactus Flower in a terracotta pot on a table
Image Credit:
Boryana Manzurova/Shutterstock
Botanical Name
Schlumbergera spp.
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun
Bloom Time
Spring
Fall
Winter
Flower Color
Pink
Purple
Red
White
Plant Type
Cacti/Succulents
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

The Christmas cactus brings cheerful winter blooms just when we need them most. With its dazzling pink and lilac flowers, this tropical beauty thrives indoors during the chill of winter. 

Whether you’re looking to keep yours blooming bright or share its charm by propagating new plants, this festive succulent is a gift that keeps on giving!

About Christmas Cacti

The Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi) is a popular houseplant that blooms indoors in the winter, so it’s popular at holiday time and makes a great gift, too. Unlike regular cacti, however, this is not a plant from a dry, hot desert location. Instead, this is a succulent native to tropical rainforests, where they grow on tree branches and soak up the high humidity, dappled sunlight, and warm temperatures.

The bottom line: Don’t treat a Christmas cactus like a run-of-the-mill cactus! It’s important to water these cacti regularly, but also to be cautious of keeping them too wet. (See detailed care instructions below.)

Holiday Cactus Types

There are three main types of “holiday” cacti out there: the Easter cactus (S. gaertneri), the Thanksgiving cactus (S. truncata), and the Christmas cactus (S. x buckleyi). For simplicity’s sake, we refer to all three species as “Christmas cactus” on this page since the care is the same. See our article on the different types of holiday cacti and how to tell them apart.

Christmas cactus infographic

Planting

Potting Christmas Cacti

  • When selecting a pot for a Christmas cactus, be sure to choose one that has a drainage hole in the bottom. This helps to keep the soil from getting too wet.
  • Christmas cacti grow well in most potting mixes formulated for succulents. The important thing is that your potting soil drains well.

Where to Put a Christmas Cactus

  • Plants should be kept in bright, indirect light. An east-facing window or a bright bathroom is ideal. Too much direct sunlight can bleach the sensitive leaves.
  • A daytime temperature of 70°F (21°C) and an evening temperature of 60°–65°F (15°–18°C) is preferred.
  • Christmas cacti prefer a more humid environment, which makes a bright bathroom or kitchen a good spot to keep them.
  • In the summer, Christmas cacti can be placed in a shady spot in the garden or on an unheated porch until temperatures get below 50°F (10°C). Keep them out of direct outdoor sunlight.

Growing

How to Care for Christmas Cacti

  • Prune plants in late spring to encourage branching and more flowers. Simply cut off a few sections of each stem; the plant will branch from the wound.
    • If you wish, place the cut pieces in a lightly moist potting soil—they root easily after a few weeks and make for excellent Christmas presents!

Christmas cactus in a window with buds

How to Get Your Christmas Cactus to Bloom

The blooms of Christmas cacti and its relatives are triggered by the cooler temperatures and longer fall nights. The three main types of holiday cacti generally bloom according to this schedule:

  • Thanksgiving cacti are the earliest and longest bloomers, typically producing flowers from late fall through midwinter.
  • Christmas cacti tend to bloom from early to midwinter.
  • Easter cacti bloom from late winter to mid-spring.

If your cactus is NOT blooming, it may be receiving too much light or living in conditions where the temperatures are too high. Here are some tips to encourage yours to produce flowers!

  • To trigger blooming, nights need to be at least 14 hours long and days between 8 and 10 hours for at least 6 weeks. If you have strong indoor lighting that’s on at night, you may need to cover your cactus or move it to an area that’s exposed to the natural light cycle.
  • Flower buds form best when the plant is kept in temperatures between 50° and 60°F (10° and 15°C).
    • You can kickstart the budding process by exposing the plant to temperatures of about 45°F (7°C) for several nights in a row.
  • Make sure that you are consistent with watering while the plant is in flower. If the plant dries out too much, it may drop its buds.
  • If the cactus sheds its buds one winter, don’t worry—it should bloom the following year!

Pests and Problems

Blossom drop: If your Christmas cactus is exposed to any stress, it will likely drop its blossoms. This could be related to the amount of light or a sudden temperature change, as discussed in the above plant care section. Also, ensure your soil doesn’t get too dry while buds form.

The plant may be susceptible to mealybugs and, if overwatered, root rot. If you have problems, remove infected areas and repot in clean soil.

Water
Plan to water every 2 to 3 weeks, but only water when the top one-third of the potting mix feels dry to the touch. For example, if the plant is in 6 inches of growing medium, water when the top 2 inches feels dry. (Use your finger to check!) When the potting mix is sufficiently dry, soak it until water runs through the pot’s drainage holes. Place a tray underneath the pot to catch the water. After 10–15 minutes, discard any excess water in the tray so that the pot doesn't sit in water.

It's especially important to water well while the plant is flowering.
Fertilizer
From spring through early fall, feed every 2 weeks with a balanced houseplant fertilizer. Feed the cactus monthly in the fall and winter to encourage successful blooming.

Types

There are three main types of “holiday cacti” available:

  • Thanksgiving cacti (Schlumbergera truncata) bloom from late fall to midwinter and are often mislabeled as Christmas cacti.
  • Christmas cacti (S. x buckleyi) bloom from early to midwinter.
  • Easter cacti (S. gaertneri) bloom from later winter to mid-spring.
a giant Thanksgiving cactus in bloom
A giant Thanksgiving cactus in bloom. Photo by Catherine Boeckmann.

Wit and Wisdom

  • When the buds of a Christmas cactus look like they’re about to open, ensure you water the plant regularly and keep it cool.
  • Late spring is the best time to propagate cuttings because that’s when most holiday cacti emerge from their winter rest and initiate new growth.

Houseplant Guides

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Joann Johnson</span> Mon, 10/14/2019 - 17:19
I have a Christmas Cactus that is full of ready to bloom flower buds. Beautiful fushia color. The send bloom this year. Love this plant.
<span>Jessica</span> Thu, 09/05/2019 - 10:39
I have had my cacti for about a decade and they were doing well until my cat decided that they are his favorite mid-meal snack. Any tips on how to get my cat to stop eating it? And do I need to cut off the buds that have his teeth marks in them?
<span>Ann</span> Thu, 08/22/2019 - 09:31
I have been growing Thanksgiving cacti for years, propagating them and trying to have every color out there. I also have a very old (probably 60 years) Christmas Cacti that my grandmother owned and have been a little successful in propagating that as well. I appreciate that you mentioned there are differences between the Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti as everyone now labels the Thanksgiving Cactus as a Christmas Cactus and there are differences as you stated. Article is very informative as well and spot on.
<span>Stephany</span> Sun, 07/14/2019 - 15:32
My cactus has some branches that have turned red (purple) and limp. What am I doing or what is happening?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 07/16/2019 - 15:35

Overwatering is the likely culprit. Let the plant dry out a bit more between waterings. It could also be caused by too much direct sunlight. Keep it in a spot that gets bright but indirect light.

 <span>Nadine</span> Sat, 02/09/2019 - 12:54
My beautiful plant had many blooms on it... unfortunately, while i was at work, the temperature dropped quite quickly and now the stems are all wilted... will it come back?? what do i need to do to save it??
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 02/11/2019 - 17:31

Unfortunately, Christmas cacti are not very tolerant of cold temperatures and extreme temperature changes, so yours may have a hard time recovering. The best you can do now is to keep it in a warm place with bright, indirect light and care for it normally. Make sure it is kept moist but not wet—overwatering can cause wilting, too. 

While you wait for the plant to recover, perhaps you should try to start a new plant from one of its branches? 

 <span>Maureen</span> Mon, 02/04/2019 - 17:27
I got my plant in the fall, it looked very healthy and full of little buds. Before they could blossom, they all dried up and fell off. I don’t think I overwater, have followed instructions. Why does this happen, how can I fix it??
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 02/05/2019 - 16:42

Bud drop is a common problem with Christmas cacti. Sudden changes in temperature, lighting, and watering can cause it to occur, so even the act of bringing it home from the store and into a new environment could have set it off. Now that the plant has adjusted to its new home, it shouldn't drop its buds, as long as its care is kept consistent.

 <span>Carol Pulling</span> Sat, 12/08/2018 - 19:09
I received this in spring and it was blooming, has pointed edges, not round. Not a Christmas cactus? Also one morning I found an entire branch that had fallen off, no one was around it. What would cause that? Although I have followed instructions well, it seems a bit slow to grow, and will it bloom Easster. A couple tiny buds are there. Many sites give different directions.