The Christmas cactus is a lovely houseplant that differs from other cactus varieties in that it blooms with purple and white flowers. The Christmas cactus, also known as Schlumbergera, is a popular present to give at…can you guess? Christmas!
‘Why isn’t my Christmas cactus blooming?’ is a typical query among collectors. It might be difficult for some people to get a Christmas cactus to bloom since it demands the appropriate lighting, temperature, and maintenance. In this post, we’ll show you how to address the most common reasons why your houseplant isn’t flowering.
Find out more about Christmas cactus care and the soil requirements for Christmas cactus.
What is the best way to make a Christmas cactus bloom?
Congratulations if you received a Christmas cactus as a present! They’re a great indoor plant that may really brighten up your space. If, on the other hand, this is your first true houseplant, you’re definitely looking for some Christmas cactus care advice. To begin with, you’re undoubtedly curious as to how to make a Christmas cactus blossom. You must first comprehend the Christmas cactus bloom cycle in order to get your cacti to bloom. Watering, temperature, and light are all factors to consider. You’ll be able to conduct the necessary maintenance steps to force it to blossom from here.
But for the time being, we’re concentrating on WHY your cactus isn’t flowering. Read up on how to resuscitate a Christmas cactus if your plant has been ignored for a time.
What’s the deal with your Christmas cactus not blooming?
Your cherished Christmas cactus may not bloom for a variety of reasons. This essay will go through the top five causes behind this and, more importantly, how to address them. Let’s start with a list of those five reasons:
- The temperature is incorrect
- Overwatering
- Repotting at an inopportune moment
- There’s too much light
- It’s not a cactus for Christmas
The temperature is incorrect
Right? When you think of a cactus, you probably think of scorchingly hot desert weather. In the vast majority of circumstances, this is accurate. Most cactus species require a lot of sunshine at warm temperatures to bloom, while the Christmas cactus requires a dip in temperature to bloom. Around September/October is the best time to relocate your cactus to a cooler location.
If your plant is now in a south-facing window, consider shifting it to a north-facing window, where it will be more likely to receive a draft. If you put it in a cool room or porch with a temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit, the buds will grow beautiful and vigorous. When exposed to temperatures of 90 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, buds may begin to drop, and your Christmas cactus leaves may fall off.
However, just because the Christmas cactus requires a colder temperature to promote bloom does not imply it is resistant to frost or cold weather. They are still tropical plant that prefers warm temperatures and lows to moderate moisture levels to grow. If you expose your Christmas cactus to frigid conditions, the pads will be harmed.
Overwatering
If you’ve adjusted your Christmas cactus at the correct temperature, but it’s still not blooming, it might be due to overwatering. Before blossoming, the popular winter plant really requires less water.
Overwatering, like with any cactus, may attract pests and produce root rot, which will prevent your plant from flowering. Water your Christmas cactus just when the top inch of soil is dry, as a general rule of thumb. Because living circumstances and environment must be considered, it’s difficult for us to recommend how often you should water your Christmas cactus.
If you leave your Christmas cactus outside in a hot, dry location, it will most likely need watering every 2-3 days, especially if it is in direct sunlight. You may only need to water your Christmas cactus once a week if you keep it indoors and in a cold area.
In the winter and fall, watering less will assist push bloom, and you can even get away with virtually drought-like conditions and just watering once a month! You may resume regular watering after your flowers have blossomed.
Overwatering can also result in undesired problems like Christmas cactus pests and wilting foliage.
Repotted at an inopportune moment
You may have repotted your Christmas cactus needlessly, which is another typical reason for it not flowering. Christmas cactus prefer to remain root-bound, and repotting should only be considered once the plant has reached the age of 3-4 years. Wait until the roots have grown through the drainage openings before repotting.
Don’t worry about repotting a Christmas cactus; it will happily bloom in the same container for years. It’s also a bad idea to repot the plant when it’s flowering, as this may cause harm. It should be done after the flowers have withered and the blossoming has ended.
When repotting Christmas cactus, there are several factors to consider, including time, soil, and pot size. If, on the other hand, your Christmas cactus is still a baby, you won’t have to worry about any of these issues for a long time. Making sure you don’t repot too soon encourages flowering and results in a happy and healthy plant.
There’s too much light.
If your Christmas cactus isn’t blooming, it’s possible that you’re exposing it to too much sunshine. Desert cactus require a minimum of 4-6 hours of direct sunshine every day to thrive. The Christmas cactus, on the other hand, is a tropical plant that requires strong yet indirect sunshine.
Too much light will impede the development of your Christmas cactus, burn the leaves, and cause it to turn purple and droop. If you’re going to keep your Christmas cactus indoors, make sure it’s in a north-facing window. Your plant should also receive at least 12 hours of darkness every day to enhance blooming. Artificial light may wreak havoc on this, so the simplest answer is to keep your plant in a room that isn’t used much in the evening.
You should start preparing for flowering in late September. For at least 12 hours a day, keep the plant covered or in a dark environment. After 3–4 weeks, the buds will begin to develop, and the darkness regimen can be discontinued. You can transfer it to a display place as the buds start to blossom, but keep it out of direct sunlight.
It’s not a Christmas Cactus
So, you’re confident that you’re following the steps above correctly. You’ve had it at the perfect temperature, you’re not overwatering or underwatering it, you haven’t repotted it, and you’ve been keeping it in the dark for 12 hours a day prior to blooming. And you’re still perplexed as to why your Christmas cactus isn’t flowering.
It’s possible that the solution is that it’s not a Christmas cactus after all! The Thanksgiving cactus and the Easter cactus are two more cactus varieties that appear remarkably similar to the Christmas cactus.
There are small changes to watch out for when comparing Christmas cactus to Thanksgiving cactus to Easter cactus. The form of the plant’s leaves distinguishes the three varieties. If it’s a Christmas cactus, the leaves should be scalloped or teardrop shaped. The sharp and claw-shaped projections of the Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumgera truncata) contrast with the rounded edges of the Easter cactus (Schlumgera gaertneri).
If you’ve done everything and still can’t get your Christmas cactus to bloom, it’s possible that you have a different plant than you thought.
Conclusion
The Christmas cactus is a wonderful plant to have in your home, and it can be used both indoors and out. You can push your houseplant to bloom throughout the Christmas season with the correct care and attention.