As we transition into fall, something very exciting happens to our Christmas cactus plants – little flower buds start to appear, gearing up for a spectacular festive display later on. But this also marks a super fragile period for these favorite houseplants. Make the wrong move now, and you could lose all of the buds and sabotage the display.
The truth is, Christmas cactus care is quite particular. Not only do you need to keep your Christmas cactus in the dark in the lead-up to its flowering season, but once you spot those flower buds, it’s crucial not to move your plant. Sudden changes in light and temperature can cause the buds to drop off, leaving you with no blooms this holiday season.
It may sound simple, but there are actually quite a few factors to juggle once those buds appear. With the help of houseplant experts, I talk through the one mistake to avoid when you spot buds on your Christmas cactus and what to do instead this fall (hint: you might want to pick up this glass plant mister from Amazon if it isn’t already in your houseplant care kit).
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Why You Shouldn’t Move Your Christmas Cactus in Fall
(Image credit: Gina Easley / Stockimo / Alamy Stock Photo)
Christmas cacti produce flower buds between mid- to late fall, triggered by cool nights and a period of darkness. Once those buds appear at the end of the long segmented stems, it’s important not to change your plant’s environment too drastically.
‘Moving the plant changes the angle of light hitting it, as well as the temperature and humidity the plant was previously used to,’ says Nikki Norris of Root & Reach Botanicals.
‘This plant’s bud count is reliant on the conditions the plant is in as the buds are forming. Moving it stresses the plant out,’ she adds.
Ultimately, it’s a Christmas cactus mistake to change the environment suddenly. Along with bud drop, you may notice your Christmas cactus wilt, droop, or discolor.
‘This is the plant signalling stress. When the Christmas cactus is stressed, it triggers ethylene production and the plant starts to form an abscission layer at the base of the buds, causing them to start dropping.’
‘Moving the plant from a breezy windowsill to a warm mantel, for example, will cause the buds to start dropping within a few days. Turning the pot on that same breezy windowsill just a half turn, even when the buds are just pea-sized, can cause the buds to drop because the buds orient to the light as well as the environment they are formed in,’ Nikki explains.
‘The plant will redirect its energy toward adapting to new conditions rather than blooming,’ adds Plantum plant expert Marina Prokaten.
Instead, once you spot Christmas cactus buds, you should focus on providing the best fall care.
Nikki created Root & Reach Botanicals to solve the houseplant frustration she experienced. The hours of contradictory research. The stress of double-checking every plant. The disappointment of finding the perfect plant only to discover it’s toxic to pets. Now, she helps other houseplant owners solve the problems they face.
Marina Prokaten is a resident plant expert for the Plantum app, which helps users identify plant species, diagnose their conditions, and get specific care advice. She has three years of experience consulting on botany-related topics for Plantum.
Fall Care Tips for Christmas Cactus
(Image credit: saraTM / Getty Images)
During fall, our Christmas cactus plants start to wake up and get ready for winter blooming. To ensure you get that much-anticipated display, the experts say there are a few environmental conditions to maintain:
- Light: After 6-8 weeks of 12-hour daily darkness to trigger flowering in early fall, gradually acclimate your Christmas cactus to bright, indirect light. This will help the flower buds swell and eventually open. ‘Place the pot on an east- or west-facing windowsill. If it’s located next to a south-facing window, shield the plant from direct sunlight in the afternoon,’ advises Marina. If needed, you can use this Amazon grow light for some extra exposure or use these Wayfair sheer curtains to diffuse direct sun.
- Temperature: To encourage blooming, provide your Christmas cactus with cooler nights. ‘Your Christmas cactus needs lower temperatures (around 55–65°F) from September to November to ensure abundant blooming,’ says Marina. But, you should avoid sudden temperature fluctuations and drafts, which can cause bud drop. This Walmart room thermometer can help you monitor this.
- Humidity: Another way to help your Christmas cactus retain its buds is by increasing humidity for these indoor plants, especially as indoor heating significantly dries the air in fall. ‘You can boost humidity by placing a pebble tray (like this from Amazon) filled with water near the pot or use a room humidifier,’ suggests Marina.
- Fertilizing: Once fall comes along, you can stop fertilizing your Christmas cactus. ‘Pause feeding throughout fall and the blooming period to allow the plant to focus its energy on flower buds,’ Marina says. Continuing to feed your plant will encourage growth over blooming.
- Watering: Don’t forget a Christmas cactus is a succulent and stores water in its fleshy stems. However, Marina notes you should ‘keep the soil consistently moist once buds appear.’ You can use this Amazon soil moisture meter to check its potting mix regularly and add some water when the top inch or so of soil has dried out.
What to Shop
As well as finding the optimal spot for your Christmas cactus to bloom, you can place a Christmas cactus in the best spot for Feng Shui, where it is thought to bring good luck this holiday season. And if you’re struggling to get your Christmas cactus to bloom, it might be that you need to adjust its growing environment – luckily, there’s plenty of time to do this now before the holidays.
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