Christmas cactus are renowned for their bright and cheery festive flowers. This succulent from Brazil has the ability to outshine the most expensive Christmas decorations for a fraction of the price.
When in full flower between November and January, the Christmas cactus deserves pride of place in the house. It’s one of those plants to show off as a table centrepiece, such is its tremendous show of flowers.
How to grow a Christmas cactus
Christmas cacti are easy to grow. Even the most seasoned houseplant killers will struggle to coax these plants to an early grave.
- Position your Christmas cactus on a well-lit windowsill. An east-facing sill is the perfect option, if possible.
- Ensure the room isn’t too warm. A temperature of between 16-20C is ideal.
- Switch off the room’s lights at night as these plants need darkness for flower bud formation.
How to look after a Christmas cactus
Water your cactus sparingly throughout the year. To do this, place a saucer under its pot and pour a small amount of water, at room temperature, into the saucer.
January to March
Once it has flowered, a Christmas cactus will need a ‘resting period’ with a reduced water intake. Water just enough so the compost doesn’t completely dry out – you can check on this with your fingers every week or so. It is best to move your cactus to a cooler room during this time, between January and late March.
April to September
If your Christmas cactus needs re-potting, do it in spring using a gritty cactus or John Innes compost. Only increase the size of the pot slightly and move the plant back to the warmer room.
During April to around September, when Christmas cacti are growing, increase their water intake a little and add a dash of houseplant fertiliser to the can every few weeks.
September to January
When the days shorten after September, you should start to see flower buds forming. Increase the watering slightly when the plant begins to produce flower buds. Then, enjoy a gorgeous display of blooms from around November.
How to identify a Christmas cactus
Confusingly there is also a ‘thanksgiving cactus’, which blooms around one month earlier than the Christmas cactus. These are from the species Schlumbergera truncata, while the Christmas cactus blooms later. The ones sold in garden centres are hybrids of Schlumbergera x buckleyi.
When these plants are not in flower, it can be confusing to tell them apart. Remember that the Thanksgiving cactus has leaves with pointed teeth, while the Christmas cactus doesn’t.
Don’t forget to sign up for our monthly The English Gardener newsletter, bringing you all the practical gardening advice you need throughout the year. Sign up on the right of this article.
You may also like:
- 19 plants that flower at Christmas
- How to grow cacti in five easy steps
- Winter houseplant care
