Celebrate the Holidays with Christmas Cactus

We don’t have snow to mark our holiday season, but we have something else—Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera).

These eye-catching cactuses—with their orchid-like flowers and flat, jointed, scallop-edged leaves—light up the outdoors and indoors every Thanksgiving through early January.

Native to the jungles of Brazil, where they grow on trees, some Christmas cactuses make good hanging-basket plants, while others are upright growers. You can find them in bloom now at nurseries, home-and-garden centers, and through mail-order.

Though purple-red flowers are common, they also come in a variety of other colors, including:

  • Yellow
  • Peach
  • Red
  • Pink
  • Lavender
  • White

Jerry Williams, a horticulturist for Rainbow Gardens in Vista, shares that they specialize in flowering jungle cactuses and offer several varieties of Christmas cactus.

“Some favorite Christmas cactuses include ‘Gold Charm’, which can be grown upright or in a hanging basket,” says Williams. “It has pale yellow, long tubular flowers.”

Popular Christmas Cactus Varieties

  • ‘Aspen’ – Upright grower with white frilly flowers and pink centers
  • ‘Peach Parfait’ – Hanging type with peach flowers and yellow centers

Christmas Cactus Care Tips

  • Light: Place outdoors in filtered sun or indoors in the coolest room. Avoid direct sun and heating ducts.
  • Temperature: Keep buds from dropping by avoiding rooms that are too warm.
  • Darkness for Blooming: Ensure 10–12 hours of darkness daily starting late September. Avoid street lights and indoor lighting in the evening.
  • Watering: Water when the soil is barely damp. Test with a bamboo skewer for accuracy.
  • Fertilizing: Use a half-strength liquid fertilizer (e.g., 10-10-5) every other watering from mid-February to mid-September. Do not fertilize during dormancy.
  • Pruning: In February, twist off two or three joints per stem to promote branching. Suitable only for mature upright plants.
  • Repotting: Repot when root-bound. Use 60% peat moss and 40% perlite. Trim roots slightly and wait 2–3 days before watering.
  • Pest Control: Watch for scale, mealybugs, aphids, and cabbage worms. Treat worms with bacillus thuringiensis and other pests with insecticidal soap.

For Rainbow Gardens’ full-color catalog ($2), call (760) 758-4290.