A holiday cactus is a festive treat for gardeners. This easy-care houseplant is the gift that keeps on giving.
Holiday Cactus Growing Guide
Published on Nov. 13, 2024
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How to Grow a Holiday Cactus
Schlumbergera truncata
With long, flat flashy stems and showstopping flowers in shades of pink, purple, white and red, this cactus is a long-lasting houseplant that can blossom long after the holidays are over. Just keep it in a consistently warm spot (70 to 80 degrees) during the bloom season.
This cactus asks for next to nothing from its caretaker and will readily live on for years and years. This is why it makes a thoughtful gift!
- Light needs: Bright, indirect
- Size: 6 to 12 inches tall and 12 to 24 inches wide
- Grown for: Showy blooms
- Water needs: Water when top few inches begin to dry.
- Growing tip: Minimize changes in environment to avoid bud and flower drop.
Psst—here’s how to care for poinsettias.
A Plant With Many Names
Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter cacti may all be known as holiday cactus. The three are very similar, but flower at various times and have different stem segment spikiness.
Is a Holiday Cactus Safe for Pets?
This plant is low-maintenance and pet-friendly, making it a a popular choice among novice and expert gardeners.
Is a Holiday Cactus Actually a Cactus?
Gardening expert Melinda Myers says, “Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving cactuses are all true cactuses and are related to plants such as the prickly pear or saguaro. But unlike these relatives, the holiday cactuses are epiphytes, meaning they grow on the branches of trees in their native habitat in the mountains of Brazil. Aerial roots are normal, and help attach plants to tree branches.”
Learn how to grow and care for amaryllis.
Holiday Cactus Light Needs
This festive houseplant prefers indirect light. That’s one of the reasons it is such a common indoor plant. It can tolerate some direct sunlight, but be careful about placing it in the strong afternoon sun.
If you spot burning on the leaves, choose a location farther away from the window. Flowers fall off easily, so try to find the right growing conditions to avoid moving the holiday cactus while it blooms.
Holiday Cactus Not Blooming
“My holiday cactus doesn’t bloom. What am I doing wrong?” asks Birds & Blooms reader Jean Flook of Waterford, Pennsylvania.
Melinda Myers says, “These plants bloom in their native habitat when weather is cooler and drier. Mimicking these conditions helps encourage flowering.
Cover or move your cactus to a totally dark location for 14 hours each night, and uncover or move it back in the sunlight each day. Allow the soil to go a bit drier and place it in an area where night temperatures are cooler. Start doing this around Oct. 1 for a holiday floral display.”
About the Expert
Melinda Myers is the official gardening expert for Birds & Blooms. She is a TV/radio host, author and columnist who has written more than 20 gardening books. Melinda earned a master’s degree in horticulture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
