The Christmas cactus (also known as Schlumbergera) is a true symbol of the Christmas season and, as its name suggests, bloomsduring the festive season. It is therefore a popular houseplant in winter and brings a little more color into the gray season with its beautiful flowers. Would you like to get your Schlumbergera to bloom again? Or have you just received a Christmas cactus as a gift and would like to know how to properly care for the plant? With our care tips it will definitely work.
Christmas cactus care and maintenance
The Christmas cactus or Schlumbergera belongs to the cactus family. The plant comes from the tropical forests of South America, but is cultivated as a houseplant because it is not hardy in our latitudes. Since Schlumbergera blooms at Christmas time, the plant is very popular as part of Christmas decorations. Although most varieties bloom pink, there are already varieties whose flowers are red, orange, white and yellow.
The right location
These houseplants should be kept in a place with bright, indirect light. Too much direct sunlight can bleach the delicate leaves. An east-facing window or a bright bathroom are ideal. Since Christmas cacti prefer a more humid environment, this is a good ideabright bathroomor a kitchen as a good location for it.
The optimal daytime temperature for the Christmas cactus is 21 °C and in the evening it can drop to 15-18 °C. In summer, houseplants can be placed in a shady spot in the garden or on an unheated patio until temperatures fall below 10°C. You must keep the Christmas cactus away from direct sunlight.
Care tips: Water and fertilize the Christmas cactus
If you often forget to water your plants, then Christmas cactus is oneA suitable addition to your indoor garden. The plant thanks you for the oversight with a lush display of flowers just in time for the holidays. So don't water the Christmas cactus every day, but only when the top layer of soil dries out completely, about once a week. If the soil is too moist, the leaves will wither.
Important to note:The Schlumbergera reacts very sensitively to hard water. Only use rainwater or boiled tap water to water the plant, otherwise it may die. During the flowering period, the cactus needs a little more water.
Approximately every 2 weeks from spring to early fall you should fertilize the Schlumbergera with a balanced houseplant fertilizer or cactus fertilizer. Fertilizing once a month is recommended while flowers are forming. After the flowering phase, the amount of water added should be reduced and fertilizing should be stopped completely for a few weeks. This is the so-called rest phase. This is followed by another growth phase in which the new shoots form.
Repot, cut and propagate the Christmas cactus
The suitable substrate for this plant is high-quality, permeable potting soil or, even better, cactus soil. Also make sure you have a pot with good drainage, as the plant does not like waterlogging. You should repot the cactus after flowering if the roots completely fill the pot.
Christmas cacti do not require pruning, but can tolerate pruning in late spring to encourage branching and flower production. Simply cut off a few links from each stem - the plant will branch out from there. To propagate the cactus, place the cut parts in slightly moist potting soil or growing soil. After a few weeks they have easily taken root and make an excellent Christmas gift.
Getting Schlumbergera to bloom again at Christmas: This is how it works!
The flowering of Christmas cacti is triggered by the lower temperatures and longer nights in autumn. The best-known variety, Schlumbergera truncata, blooms earliest and longest, usually from November to February.
If your cactus isn't blooming, it may be receiving too much light or temperatures are too high. Here are some tips for encouraging your Christmas cactus to bloom:
- To trigger flowering, nights must be at least 14 hours long and days between 8 and 10 hours long over the course of 6 weeks. If the room has strong indoor lighting that is turned on at night, you will need to cover your cactus or move it to an area exposed to the natural light cycle.
- Flower buds form best when the plant is kept at temperatures between 10 and 15°C. You can stimulate bud formation by exposing the Christmas cactus to temperatures of around 7°C several nights in a row.
- Make sure you water the plant regularly during the flowering period. If the soil dries out too much, the cactus may lose buds.
- If your Christmas cactus drops its buds one winter, there's no need to worry: it should bloom again next year.
Christmas cactus or Easter cactus – what’s the difference?
The Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera) is often confused with the Easter cactus (Hatiora). Both plants look similar, but have differences in the shape of the limbs. In contrast to the Christmas cactus, which has jagged leaves, the limbs of the Easter cactus are rounded and possibly slightly wavy. The Easter cactus is also very popular as a houseplant and blooms between March and May, which is where its name comes from.
