Holiday Cactus Plants: Christmas Cactus, Thanksgiving Cactus, and Easter Cactus

Intriguing and eccentric, flowering cacti hold a powerful appeal for plant lovers — it's the contrast between their tough exterior and the unexpected, ethereal beauty of their blooms. I admit to having fallen under the spell to such an extent that I did an all-night drive from San Francisco to Tuscon, Arizona to see the stunning blooms of the mighty saguaros, each flower lasting only one day.

But you don't have to go to such extremes to delight in flowering cactus-like plants. In fact, you can bring some into your living space as succulent houseplants. If you choose carefully, the branches will be laden with gorgeous crimson or bright pink blooms just in time for a favorite holiday: Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Easter. Or maybe one of each?

Like so many other cool plants, holiday cactus are native to the rainforests of South America, where they grow as air plants. They do not root in soil; they are epiphytes that grow on trees or in cracks in rocks, getting the nutrients they need from decaying vegetation, rainwater, and air. As understory plants, they prefer moist, shaded areas out of direct sunshine where the air is warm or even cool.

Holiday cacti are actually not cacti at all but rather resilient succulents. They adjust well to being cultivated as potted plants outdoors — in warm-winter climates — or as houseplants. You can even move them outside in the summer and bring them inside in the winter.

Are holiday cacti easy to grow as houseplants? The answer is a qualified yes! Even a beginner can keep a thriving holiday cactus — however, you must respect their basic cultural care requirements regarding soil, sun exposure, temperature, and moisture. A well-cared-for holiday cactus can last many decades, and some are reputed to have lived over a century.

The different types of holiday cacti look pretty much alike, and they're all delightful. But you'll probably want to know which one you have — ideally before you bring it home. The plant store label may help, but even if it just says "holiday cactus," you can figure it out.

The most common holiday cactus sold in the U.S. is the Thanksgiving cactus (‌Schlumbergera truncata‌). Thanksgiving cacti flower earlier, often starting in early November, and bloom straight through the end of the holiday season, which is one reason they're commonly sold under the name Christmas cactus.

You can identify a Thanksgiving cactus simply by looking at the segmented stems: they have very pointy edges. Thanksgiving cactus flowers grow horizontally to the stems.

The Christmas cactus (‌Schlumbergera bridgesii‌) has stem segments that are flatter than those of the Thanksgiving cactus, and they have notched edges that are not pointed. The branches of this type of holiday cactus droop rather than being horizontal. That's why this member of the holiday cacti family works best as a hanging plant. Tubular, brightly colored flowers droop from the ends of each stem in winter.

Some place Easter cactus in the same genus as the other holiday cacti, but its true genus is actually different. You may find this plant labeled ‌Schlumbergera gaertneri‌ in the garden store, but it could also be labeled ‌Rhipsalidopsis gaetneri.‌

There are a few physical characteristics that can help you identify an Easter cactus. First, it develops flower buds in February, then flowers from March through May, hitting the Easter holiday (which moves around year to year as well but is usually in April). The buds look like little stars. Its stem segments have more scalloped or rounded edges with tiny bristles.

The key to keeping your holiday cacti thriving for more than one season is to keep its origins in mind. These are rain forest succulents, not dessert cacti. When I was young, I assumed that my Christmas cactus was actually a cactus, a plant that was drought-tolerant and loved direct sunshine. Don't make the same mistake I did or you'll get the same result: a plant that didn't make it through New Year's Eve!

Remember that these plants are succulents that grow in the shade of trees in moist rain forests. They do not like scorching sun at all, and they require regular moisture and humidity. And while the care instructions are similar for Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti, Easter cacti are a bit more complex.

Drainage is critical to Thanksgiving cactus, just as it is to most other succulents. These cacti are particularly vulnerable to root rot in heavy soil, since in their native environment they do not root in soil; rather, they live on trees.

That makes the type of soil important. You can use well-draining potting soil made specifically for cacti and succulents, or you can add perlite to regular potting soil. Heavy soil or compacted soil will kill a Thanksgiving cactus.

Your container must have adequate drainage holes. If in doubt, punch in a few more holes in the bottom of the pot, or choose another container. Excess water cannot be allowed to sit in the soil.

Thanksgiving cacti can't take excess water, but that doesn't mean that they are drought-tolerant. Not at all. You should expect to water them whenever the soil in the pot dries out. Poke a finger deep into the pot, or purchase a moisture meter. If the plant's stems start to pucker, it is acting as its own moisture meter, telling you it's past time to water.

When you water, water generously, but let all excess water run out of the pot's drain holes. Never allow a Thanksgiving cactus to sit in a saucer with water in it since it's a recipe for root rot.

It is ideal to locate a Thanksgiving cactus in a window where they get between 4 and 6 hours of diffuse light. This could be indirect light or sunlight filtered through curtains. A mix of indirect sun and shade works best. In winter, a little direct light is okay, but don't go overboard.

Humidity is perhaps the most difficult element for houseplant beginners, since it is often impossible to give a rain forest plant the level of humidity it prefers. Thanksgiving cactus do best in a high-humidity environment, and extra humidity is needed when they are sited indoors in heated rooms.

One way to increase humidity is to place the plant on a large saucer partially filled with water. Just be sure to use pebbles to keep the bottom of the pot above the water to prevent root rot. Alternatively, you can add moisture by misting the plant or running a small humidifier in the area.

Thanksgiving cacti like to be in a warm environment — 70• to 80•F is best during the growing season. For the best flowering, once the buds set, keep the plant in a cool, dark place at night — where the temperature is between 55• and 65•F and the plant gets 12 to 13 hours of darkness every night.

It helps to fertilize Thanksgiving cacti during the growing season. Start in spring and use a balanced fertilizer at half strength once a month until the buds form. Stop fertilizing at this point until the flowers bloom.

These popular houseplants live in the wild as air plants growing on tree bark. That means that when it comes to soil, drainage is important. Use a light soil or make a special Christmas cactus mix of peat moss, perlite, and orchid bark.

If you are potting up a Christmas cactus, you'll want to use a pot with adequate drainage holes. These air plants like moist soil, but wet soil will cause root rot. The pot should easily drain excess water so it doesn't sit in the bottom.

A Christmas cactus needs light, moist soil, so regular water is important. Water when the top inch or two of soil is dry to the touch. Like the Thanksgiving cactus, a Christmas cactus will show you that it's thirsty by puckering up its stems.

Never situate a Christmas cactus in a window that gets direct sunlight. It needs some indirect light most of the time, and brighter indirect light just before it blooms.

Rainforests are not hot and dry like deserts. Christmas cacti like a warm and humid environment. Ordinary household temperatures work well, but you'll need to raise the humidity.

The preferred humidity for a Christmas cactus is over 50 percent. Increase humidity by setting the plant on a large saucer partially filled with water, and use pebbles to keep the bottom of the pot above the water to prevent root rot. You can also add moisture by misting the plant or running a small humidifier in the area.

Thanksgiving cacti bloom best if you fertilize them during the growing season. Use a diluted fertilizer from spring until after the blooms fade.

You'll want the same type of light, well-draining soil for an Easter cactus as for either of the other two holiday cacti. You can add peat to regular potting soil or buy a soil formulated especially for succulents.

Pick a pot with generous drain holes in order to allow excess water to run through. Although the Easter cactus likes consistently moist soil, wet soil will cause root rot. It is critical that water can drain from the soil after watering.

Rainforest plants require moisture to thrive, so it is important to irrigate this cactus regularly. The key is to keep feeling the soil and — when the top two inches are dry — to add a generous amount of water. Excess water should run out of the bottom of the container. Dump out the saucer after watering.

The Easter cactus needs dappled or filtered sunlight, not direct sunlight.

Easter cactus has slightly different temperature and humidity requirements from its counterparts. It prefers cooler temperatures and needs them to bloom. Nighttime temperatures need to come down to around 55•F. On the other hand, these plants do not need the very high humidity than other holiday cacti require. Typical household humidity levels are fine.

Like other holiday cacti, Easter cacti thrive when given regular fertilization. Use a balanced fertilizer diluted to half strength every month during the growing season.

Holiday cacti are often primed to bloom when they appear in the garden stores, so that initial flowering period is guaranteed. However, they are not one-season plants like cut Christmas trees; they can live for decades and bloom year after year with proper care.

All holiday cactus are "short-day" plants: they need long, dark, cool nights in order to bloom. The dark periods should be between 12 and 14 hours. Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti need short days for about six weeks in order to flower, while Easter cacti need around 12 weeks of short days.

To simulate the blooming cycle in the wild, offer the plants bright daylight followed by solid darkness during these short-day weeks. Also, put the plants in a cooler area during this period. Both the dark periods and the cooler temperatures trigger bud formation.

If this seems difficult in the house, move the plants into a garage or storage area where you can control temperature and lighting until the buds form. After that, they can return to the home. Once the buds develop, day length no longer matters, so transfer the plants back to their regular places as soon as bugs appear.

If providing enough darkness is difficult, you may succeed in getting your plants to bud simply by placing them in even cooler temperatures. Left in a spot with night temperatures of between 50• and 59•F, they often set flower buds even if the short day weeks are not provided.

Pruning a holiday cactus can encourage new branches to grow as well as additional flowers. To prune, pinch back stems by twisting them between segments. You can prune cacti that bloom in the end of the year at any time starting immediately after flowering through spring.

Some suggest a pruning in early summer to encourage the plant to produce more flowers in winter. In fall, pinch off immature stem segments, since they will not flower. Taking off short stem segments encourages bud development.

You won't have to repot a holiday cactus very often, perhaps twice over a 10-year period. Remember that these plants prefer to be rootbound, so don't jump the gun. Repot only when the plant's roots are coming out the drain holes. The best time to repot is just after the blooms fade.

Like so many succulents, holiday cactus propagate easily from cuttings. Take cuttings between 4 and 8 weeks after the last bloom fades. This serves double-duty, as pruning and can help the plant fill out.

To propagate a holiday cactus, remove cuttings with 3 to 5 segments each, and place the cut ends into a cup containing a few inches of water. Leave the cup in a location with indirect sun until roots appear. When the roots are a few inches long, plant the cuttings in a pot with well-draining, moist soil. Keep the soil moist and the area humid.

If you don't overwater your holiday cactus plants, you may never have to deal with pests and diseases. Most problems result from excess water. Fungal diseases, including stem rot and root rot, are caused by wet soil. Likewise, the insects that can attack these succulents are attracted by excess water. They include fungus gnats, mealybugs, and aphids. Dry out the plant's soil immediately if a pest or disease is spotted. Pests can be treated with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap.