In their natural habitat, these plants do not grow in soil but rather in places where dirt and debris accumulate, such as the crevice of a tree or a recess in a rock where natural residues gather.
Christmas cacti prefer a well-draining succulent potting mix.
Give the Christmas cactus a good fertilizer when it finishes the flowering phase.
Flowering These cacti have beautiful flowers with delicate petals in colors like pink, fuchsia, orange, or white. But what does it take to make them thrive?
Christmas cacti bloom after a dormancy period of about four weeks. You can aid this process by providing the plant with what it needs to bloom: longer, cooler nights.
Keep the plant in darkness for about 12 to 14 hours a day. If you don’t have a dark spot to place it, you can cover the Christmas cactus with a cloth or box.
The plant also needs cooler temperatures, ideally between 10 and 12 degrees Celsius (50-55 degrees Fahrenheit).
Once the Christmas cactus starts producing buds at the ends of its segments, you can return it to its usual spot.
Christmas cacti tend to drop their buds if they are disturbed too much. Ensure you water the plant regularly, keep it away from hot drafts, and avoid moving it around.
Once the plant is assured of its dormancy phase, it will produce beautiful flowers each year.
