One of the most beautiful and popular flowering plants is the holiday cactus.  Native to South American jungles, these come in several varieties which are often referred to as the Thanksgiving Cactus and the Christmas Cactus.  It is easy to tell which variety you have by looking at the leaves.  The Thanksgiving cactus has pointed leaves while the Christmas cactus has rounded leaves.  The flowers of these plants come in a huge variety of colors including red, pink, purple, white, yellow, orange & multi-colored.  You can also mix several types in one pot to create beautiful color combinations.  As you may have guessed, these cacti bloom in November and December, around the holidays.  Although, if you’re lucky you may even get a second round of blooms that goes into January and February.

The holiday cactus is incredibly easy to care for and will produce beautiful blossoms year after year. Here are some tips and instructions to help ensure your cactus is thriving.

Cactus Care Instructions

1. ensure your cactus is planted in a pot that has proper drainage. Only water your cactus if the soil is getting dry and let the soil dry out most of the way between waterings
2. remove the plant from the window during the spring and summer months to protect it from heat. This plant prefers partial shade or full shade most of the year
3. place your cactus in a northern or southern facing window for several weeks when the weather starts to cool to 50-60 degrees, this will prepare your cactus to bloom
4. move the cactus out the window after the cactus has buds and blooms all over it.  It is also ok to leave it in the window, as long as it doesn’t get too bright or too hot for the plant.

Propagating a Holiday Cactus

1. take a leaf or a stem with 2-3 leaves and cut the lowest leaf in half, horizontally.
2. place the cutting in low light for several days to allow the cut edge to close up a bit
3. Place the cutting 1/2 inch deep in a small pot with good drainage, so the bottom leaf is totally under the soil
4. water the cactus so that the soil is moist but not soggy
5. place in a northern or southern window and wait several weeks for it to root

Tips:  If your plant starts to get bumps all over the leaves, it is likely getting too much water or sun.  Therefore, move it to a shadier location and water it less.  Also, if your plant’s leaves start to turn dark purple it means it’s getting too much sunlight.  If you want to combine several different colored plants into one plant, do this after the plants are done blooming. The repotting process is stressful for the plants and can cause buds and flowers to drop.  Lastly, these plants need to be repotted every 4-5 years to ensure they are getting enough nutrients from their soil. A wonderful zero waste organic fertilizer to encourage blooms is EarthPods Cactus & Succulent Plant Food.

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