Holiday Cactus is a popular indoor plant with bright, billowy flowers and extraordinary, succulent, arching branches. These plants usually bloom in December and last through January. The beautiful hues look extremely gorgeous among its dark-colored leaves. They are native to Brazil, and due to their beauty and ability to bloom in winter, the plant has become very popular in the Northern Hemisphere.
The holiday cactus lives longer and grows on other trees and rock crevices. They are passed down through generations, and with all their glorious features, they earn the utmost bragging rights. If you are planning to have this plant at home, here are some varieties you should explore.
What is Holiday Cactus?
Though the plant has the name “cactus,” it does not grow in the desert. Also, it is not actually a cactus, but a succulent, native to the rainforest of Brazil. There are three varieties of Holiday cactus flowers, such as -
- The Christmas Cactus produces flowers from late November through late January.
- Thanksgiving Cactus that blooms from late October through November.
- Easter Cactus that flowers in the spring.
Having these plants in your home will make sure that your home looks brightened up and beautiful all year long. However, the flowers on each cactus are different. Thanksgiving has more drooping and asymmetrical flowers, while the Christmas Cactus is more symmetrical in shape, and the flowers of the Easter Cactus are flat, star-shaped, pointing upward.
Popular Holiday Cactus Varieties Worth Growing at Home
Though all the Holiday Cacti look almost the same, here are some of the varieties you must know about. They add beauty to your space while brightening up the mood during the holiday seasons -
Christmas Cactus
Schlumbergera x Buckleyi is considered the true Christmas Cactus, which is a hybrid of S. russelliana and S. truncata. As all the plants are sterile, they can’t be propagated with seeds. It was originally cultivated in 1852 by William Buckley, a breeder at the Rollisson Nurseries in England.
Holiday cacti don’t have leaves. Instead, they have cladodes, which are long and smooth with gently scalloped edges. The plant blooms from November through February, with red or magenta flowers.
It has blended petals in hues of cherry pink and silvery white. There are several varieties of Christmas Cactus, such as “Christmas Flame,” “Christmas Charm,” “Christmas Fantasy,” “Kris Kringle II,” “Limelight Dancer,” and many more. The cactus is popular for its easy-to-care nature and beautiful, eye-catching flowers.
Easter Cactus
The Easter Cactus, also known as the Spring Cactus, blooms later than the Christmas Cactus. The plant produces flowers from March through May, has rounded leaf edges and fibrous stems, and has no notches.
The beautiful and unique star-shaped flowers come in several hues, such as pink, lavender, and pink. When kept in daylight, the flower opens completely, cheering up the environment inside the home. However, as night arrives, the flowers close on their own.
Though it is called Holiday Cactus, Easter Cacti are rarely available during winter. This is because their blooming period aligns with Spring. However, they make the best choice when other holiday cacti are out of season. Thus, keeping your home refreshed and aesthetically beautiful all year long. Also, this cactus prefers higher humidity and moderate light levels.
Thanksgiving Cactus
Thanksgiving Cactus, or S. truncata, is also called False Christmas Cactus, Crab, or sometimes even “Christmas Cactus.” The cactus blooms pink, orange, or white flowers once during Thanksgiving and then blooms again in February.
The flowers have a tubular shape and feature yellow anthers. This cactus can be differentiated from other Holiday cacti with their pointed teeth at the edge of its cladodes, which resemble a crab’s claw.
How to Take Care of Holiday Cactus?
Christmas Cactus, Easter Cactus, and Thanksgiving Cactus all thrive in rich, porous, and acidic soil. They are epiphytes by nature and grow on other plants, such as the tree trunks, cracks of the branches, rocks, etc. To ensure it grows well, keep the cactus in a bright location that receives a good amount of indirect sunlight.
Consider misting them regularly, especially in winter when the indoor humidity level is low. These are short-day plants, which means they need cool overnight temperatures (60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit) in addition to 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness every day for several weeks to trigger blooming.
You can prune the plant after they flower for better growth. They do best when they are somewhat root-bound, so ensure not to re-pot them often. Here are some other important caring tips you should consider -
- They need consistent moisture, which means you have to water them when the topsoil seems dry. However, reduce watering in the fall to encourage blooming. Once you see the buds appear, regularly water them.
- When potting them, choose a well-draining soil and potting mix with added organic matter, formulated specifically for Holiday Cacti.
- Use a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer during the growing season, usually from Spring to fall. Christmas Cactus does not require fertilizers during the late fall, so it is recommended to stop feeding the holiday cacti during this time.
- Repotting should always be done after 2-3 years. This keeps their roots growing and healthy.
How to Encourage Holiday Cacti to Bloom?
To get the Holiday Cacti to bloom, you need to devote a little time, be patient, and caring. All three Holiday cactus varieties are considered short-day plants, which means they need a maximum of 12-14 hours of complete darkness and cool conditions.
Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti need about 6 weeks of short days to trigger flowering. Whereas Easter Cactus needs 8-12 weeks of short days to encourage blooming.
Cut back on watering the plants during the fall and keep them in a space that does not have artificial lights. Also, ensure the place is cooler and darker. This mimics the plant’s natural habitat and leads to bud development.
Conclusion
With all the varieties of Holiday Cactus, you get a year-round pop of color in your home. These plants suit every interior and are perfect for lightening up the mood. However, they need to be cared for properly to trigger blooming. They require proper watering and fertilizing, and you must keep misting the plant if the air inside the home dries up quickly.
