Posted by Beth on Wednesday, Mar 29, 2017
Sometimes we get questions at the Information Desk that sound more complicated than they really are. This weeks stumper was "Why is my Christmas Cactus blooming in March?" This actually has a very simple answer: Because it's not a Christmas Cactus - it's an Easter Cactus.
Most people see this plant and think Christmas Cactus. Late in the year you can find them anywhere - from grocery stores to big box stores - in shades of pink, red or even white.
"Christmas Cactus" has become a generic term for three different cacti in the same family. What most people think of as "Christmas Cactus" will turn out to be either a Thanksgiving Cactus, a Christmas Cactus, or an Easter Cactus. How to can you tell the difference? Is it blooming now? What month is it? Is it early November, late December, or late winter/early spring? That can give you a big hint. But the real way to tell them apart is to look closely at the leaves.
All three plants have fleshy flat leaf sections. Thanksgiving cactus leaves have longer, curved projections along the edge. The Christmas cactus have smaller more right angle-like projections, and the Easter cactus have no projects, just gently scalloped leaf edges. These cacti are members of the the Schlumbergera genius of cacti (although Easter cactus has multiple accepted names: Schlumbergera gaertneri, Phipsalidopsis gaertnerii, Rhipsalidopsis gaetneri or Hatiora gaetneri). All three are native to the forests of Brazil.
These cactus can be incredibly long lived, often being passed down from one generation to the next in families. This picture is from a story in the Bismarck Tribune about one family's 111-year-old cactus. There was a news story about a 145 year old cactus belonging to a family in Bozeman, Montana, and Writer Ann Parr wrote about her family's 150+ year old cactus.
The common name "Christmas Cactus" is misleading. These plants are not sun loving, drought tolerant cacti. Being native to the treetops of the coastal mountain ranges of Brazil they like bright but filtered sunlight and regular watering so that their potting material does not dry out completely. They are happiest when they are pot-bound, which makes them even easier to care for - no repotting.
Once the flowers fade, they should be treated like a houseplant. Place them in bright light, but not direct sunlight, and water regularly. They can be grown outside during the summer as long as their pots are placed in dappled shade, they are watered regularly, and are brought back inside before nighttime temperatures hit 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Fertilize once a year in late spring or early Summer and you'll have a healthy happy plant.
The most common question people have about Christmas Cactus is how to get them to rebloom after the first year. Blooms requires two things: cooler temperatures and long nights. These cacti are short-day plants, which means that blooms are triggered by long dark cool nights. They need between 14-16 hours of uninterrupted darkness and 8 hours of daylight for between 3 - 6 weeks to set flower buds. Streetlights and indoor lights will disrupt their required darkness cycle, so you can either cover them each night with a black garbage bag, or find a room in your house that is seldom used at night and place them near a window. If the temperatures in the room are a bit cooler it will be even better. Their desired night time temperature is between 50 and 68 degrees. Once flower buds appear along the leaf ends you can move the plant back to its regular place in your home to enjoy the flowers.
Be careful about placing them in drafts. Drafts may cause bud drop. A few buds dropping off is normal, but drafts will cause the plant to drop all its buds at once - then you'll be out of luck for another year.
Reiman Gardens at Iowa State University has a nice downloadable brochure about the care and propagation of Holiday Cactus that you can download for free here.
About the Author
Title: Program Librarian
Where you'll see me in the library: I work at the Information Desk, the Help Desk and in the Digital Media Lab during Drop-in Tech Help. I teach some of the Genealogy workshops and I'll be at most of the Library Events & Programs for adults too, so I'm pretty much everywhere.
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Comments
Thanks for the post! I have two cactus in this family. One is doing great, one is withered and doing terribly. I think the one that is withered has potting soil that's become too compacted - I will aerate the container a bit and see if that helps.
I have several Christmas Cactus that I grew from individual segments started 5 years ago from mature plants of a friend. Grew great and had first full bloom Christmas 2017. Even better Christmas 2018 and NOW it March and they are starting full bloom again...huh? They are in kitchen bay west facing window. Whats up?
my cactus is blooming in March. I have looked at the leaves to see if it is an Easter cactus but it is not. the leaves are that of a Christmas Cactus, with sharp points on them.
Mine is also a Christmas cactus that I have had for almost 50 years and it bloomed faithfully at holiday time through several moves, but since I repotted it two years ago it is blooming in March. It has buds on right now. it has beautiful red flowers and I desperately want it to bloom at Christmastime again. What can I do?
I was given a small cactus during the Christmas holidays in 2017 and it bloomed four or five beautiful pink blooms that first-year around Christmas Day (but according to the diagram above it's a Thanksgiving cactus.) By 2018, it had tripled in size. I placed it in an unused bedroom about mid-October and then brought it back out around the first of December, but it did not bloom. Today is April 22, 2019, I came home from work and discovered my "Thanksgiving" cactus loaded with large beautiful DARK pink almost red blooms. It sits in a kitchen window that looks out onto our screened-in porch and faces east.--I'm with you all, What's Up?--It is beautiful no matter when it blooms.
I have a Christmas cactus that is blooming on March 20th. I am 100% positive that it is a Christmas/Thanksgiving Cactus.
Mine bloom during the Christmas Season and again all through out the month of March. I have 4 different varieties and they all do this. I also fertilize mine on a regular basis so, go figure. They are so beautiful!
I have 2 kinds of cactus that have always bloomed in winter. now they are blooming in April. What is going on? I live in Central Florida.
Why 2 buds on a leaf this plant is 32 years old And since I've owed it this is the first time it has
29 buds
My true Xmas Cactus stays outdoors on the deck in bright indirect light until temps drop below 26 (it does just fine). It get's light at night from the outside light and headlights. I bring it back indoors into a window in bright indirect light. It blooms every year starting about the 2nd week in January and I've had it since 1997. As a Hort. graduate all of my reference books say to give the 12 hours of darkness to force blooms, but I've never had to. I have friend that get theirs blooming several times a year without any special treatment.
Same for me and I live on Costa Blanca Spain. In my estimation it is just pure magic, without explanation that warms my heart and gives me a feeling of awe and wonder. Having “eyes to see” is a fundamental part in creating and enjoying beauty. ❤️
It's mid March and my cactus is blooming like crazy. The leaves DO have sharp spikes and if this page allowed for a photo, I'd post it. This plant also is exposed to bright flood lights from the driveway every night so it never sees darkness...I don't have another window to put them in since I live in a small condo. Seems like my little plant has broken all your rules...yay! It's a rebel, like me! LOL
Our connection with nature is profound. What you have touched on is outside the practicality of “forcing a plant to bloom.” On the contrary, through your observation and enjoyment, you are allowing it to bloom! Enjoy :)
My “Christmas” cactus bloomed during the Christmas season and for the first time it is about to bloom again in March.
I have two plants which I believe are Christmas cactuses. They are blooming for the sixth time since Christmas. What is going on?
Thank you
My Xmas cactus started blooming in November and is still blooming now on May 3rd. It has been nonstop blooming. Is this normal or what. Help
I have a cactus which flowers near Christmas and around Easter always flowers twice a year I’m in the north east of uk
My christmas cactus blooms from early November through easter
Leaves look like a Christmas cactus
My Christmas cactus bloomed the Christmas I bought it but didn’t this Christmas now it is starting to have buds in March. I keep it in our ensuite bathroom where it gets light and moisture from our showers and baths. Should I cut back on the watering a bit?
Mine blooms at both so I don't think that's the correct answer
I
My cactus is about 4 years old- it is a Christmas cactus which blooms during Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love both times. So beautiful.
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