Christmas Cactus

Hi everyone,

I'm just wondering if anyone can give me some tips on how to get my Christmas Cactus to flower. I bought mine last year while it was flowering, and it has grown really nicely since then, but there is still no sign of any buds coming up. I live in central Alberta so the days are quite short now - that should be a benifit I think?? Any insight will be appreciated!

Brenda

We still are almost a month away from the shortest day of the year, so it may just need a little more time. I would watch how much artificial light it gets in the evenings though--if it's in an area of the house that's fairly well lit until you go to bed that could be enough to mess it up.

Thank you, ecrane3. I will move it farther away than it is already from artificial light. I hope that works. It is so healthy and I really hope I can get it to flower by Christmas!

Longer nights and cool fall temps trigger them. Try putting near a window. In the fall I leave mine outside until almost first frost. Never fails!

Thanks Tommy! I will try to factor in a cooler temp. for it along with the longer darkness times.

I don't know what triggers mine to set buds this time of year unless it's that I fertilize them with a bloom booster plant food when I feed the orchids. My Holiday Cactus' stay out on the deck year round with a decorative light that stays on all night, every night. It's still hot and humid here in Florida (81º days and upper 60's to low 70's at night) and I noticed a couple of days ago that the Holiday Cactus are setting buds.

Wow, that is interesting, plantladylin, since it is not getting cooler temps or extra darkness. Hmmmm...

How strong is the light and how far away is it from the plant? If it's something like a low voltage landscape light that doesn't put out much light or if it's a decent distance away then it may not be a strong enough light source to confuse the plant into thinking the days are longer than they really are. As far as the temperature, I'm not sure if temperature is important or if it's just a coincidence because shorter days happen during the cooler seasons of the year. If temperature is a factor, you wouldn't necessarily need really cold temperatures--people get these to bloom as houseplants and indoor temps would typically be kept in the 60's-70's. And they're native to climates that don't get super cold so in their native environment they're not going to see a huge temperature drop in the fall/winter.

Mine is getting ready to bloom, full of buds showing color but only one fully open. i may have started light timing a bit too soon, but I am ready for them to go for it ; ), .. I only allow mine 8 hours of light a day.usually starting about a month or so before xmas along with the Poinsettias.

Plantlady, Think you are having same problem I had at the lake.

I had mine in the solarium on the south side of the house .Quite a way up the hill to the East at the corner of my drive was a street light; it shined right into the solarium with just enough light to aggravate the cactus. I finally, after a number of years no blooms, i found out about the 14 days of darkness needed, and put drapes on the big double window on East end a month ar so b4 the holiday.

Still no buds...oh well, maybe next year!

I wouldn't give up on it yet. You mentioned in an earlier post that you were going to move it farther away from artificial light. So if it was indeed getting too much light in the evenings in its previous location, it may bloom a bit later than it normally would. And even though they're called Christmas cactus, that doesn't necessarily mean they'll always exactly bloom for Christmas so it's possible yours could still bloom a little later in the winter. Maybe it won't bloom, but I wouldn't give up just yet.

Thanks for the encouragement, ecrane3! On another note, my Hoya has a flower cluster on it in the middle of winter, which is really odd I think! It flowers incredible in the summer, but this is the first winter I have had it flower!

Brenda, your longer day lengths in your area may be the culprit. Christmas cactus needs longer nights to kick in their budding/blooming process. Normally you would want to place it somewhere it would get 12 hours or a bit more in darkness, starting around October for a December blooming. Cool temps will also help to kick it into high gear. Also, keeping them on the dry side would be helpful.

Professional growers tend to hide the daylight from their cactus as well as keep them cool so they are blooming during the holiday season. You probably don't have that same set up, or if you do then didn't do as they did (which is why yours was blooming when you bought it).

Some "Christmas cactus" are hybrids and are referred to as Thanksgiving cactus, Easter cactus, etc and will bloom at those times. One of those (please help me, Memory!) bloom according to natural daylength, which might be what Lin in Florida has.

Hope this helps!
Shoe

I've had mine for years and for the first time it's not going to bloom for Christmas. I kept it outside all summer and it was drier than normal so that may be it.

I don't know if this will work where you are but my brother gives his CC a drink of bloom booster about a month before he wants it to bloom. Every year his is blooming beautifully ....one at Thanksgiving and one at Christmas. I don't think he does anything different.....mother nature shortens our days and gives the plant less sunlight so I never move mine around. So I gave it a drink of BB the first of Nov. and it was blooming for Thanksgiving.

Thanks, I'll give it a try.
Maybe i'll try for a Valentines cactus. LOL
Vickie

Anytime a CC blooms is a good time. ^_^

That is a really pretty picture, pixie! I did start giving it a flowering fert. a couple of weeks ago.

Horseshoe, thank you for the information you shared. The days are really, really short here right now, only about seven hours, so I don't think too much light is the problem. As well, I did put it by the window when it was suggested to me earlier in this thread. So maybe with the flowering fertilizer I started giving it I will get some blossoms sometime in the next month or so. We'll see, I guess!

Hey, I just wanted to let you know there may still be hope for your Cactus. I have been pampering my mother's (aka black thumb) Christmas Cactus for about 3 years now. It was putting on buds but they always fell off before they bloomed. I found out if you over water while it is budding/blooming they will drop off. Mom's cactus lives on a North/East window sill year round in the woods, zone 7b. So it really does not get much sun at all. I feed it it on a regular basis when it is putting on new leaves and in Nov-Jan. I feed mine Miracle Grow liquid plant food for African Violets. I use about 10 drops to a 20 oz. bottle. I have heard people say that you should not feed them, but I proved it works for Mom's plant. I have noticed that the blooms are always on new growth. If yours does not have any new growth then you should feed it. The cool temperatures are a big factor. This plant is by the coolest window in the house. When the blooms start to fill out I turn the plant around so I can see the blooms, note the Christmas picture. Now the other side of the plant that has been by the window for a month is putting on blooms. It is now a Christmas/Valentine Cactus!

So proud for you. I feed mine Miracle Grow in the spring. Mine still has'nt bloomed.
Maybe i ought to leave mine in during the summer but they grow so well outside.
Vickie

Hi Cynthia - your flowers are very pretty! I think I finally see a couple of buds appearing on my plant. I have started to feed it some flower food, so maybe that is helping. If it ever flowers, I will post a picture.

I appreciate everyone's advice and sharing of experience!

Finally, tiny buds begin to appear! Thanks for all the tips everyone!

Great Brenda Jean, Maybe there is still hope for mine.
Vickie

Yeah, Brenda Jean! That's great! I'm so happy for you.
Here is an update on my CC. First bloom opened a couple days before Valentine's day and it is still going. There is also another CC in this same pot that has never flowered. I found four buds on it last week. They are just getting some color and I think they are going to pink. From my photo journal I have found that from first bud to full flower is about a month. So, I will check back and see how yours is coming and I should know by then what color I have on the new bloomer.
Good luck,
Cynthia

Hi Cynthia. Your flowers look great! Here is an update on mine. It has been over a month now since I first noticed the first tiny buds appearing, and this picture is what those buds look like today. They are taking forever! But I am just happy my plant is blooming. There are quite a few buds on it now, in various stages, with new ones showing up every few days. I will post a picture when they fianlly open up. I can't wait! CC flowers are so amazing.

Brenda

Really great you guys. No sign here yet.

First one finally opened up today! Beautiful and worth the wait!

Brendajean, Is that as red as it looks? I've never seen a bright red one before. It's just beautiful.
Vickie

Vicki, I see it as really bright fuchsia - maybe there is a touch of red in the flowers when I look at my plant. Yes, a very deep color though!

Just wanted to share one more pic from this morning.

Oh, that is beautiful!

Wow brendajean,those are stunning flowers,love the colour.

Just wanted to add a tidbit, I learned this year that Christmas cactus can live for many years.
Vickie

Hi I joined to get more info about Christmas cactus! But I know some already, they're one of my main things I do with plants. I get mine to flower every year by bringing them outside to open, airy shaded areas every spring after the last frost {early May} and keeping them out there till the first frosts {start of November here} . I then bring them inside to my main window which gets mostly shade too, and it blooms faithfully.

I do the same as you except i bring mine in during October.
Welcome to Daves Garden. Hope you injoy it here as much as i do.
Do you do any other gardening? I like Daylillys and spring flowers.
Vickie

Thanks for the welcome :)

We have Day Lilies and plant impatiens, petunias, geraniums and marigolds every year. We're actually going to be getting our annuals in only a few more weeks {after last frost} so I joined up just at the right time.

I mostly have houseplants though, I also have an orchid, bell palm, and Sanseviera {that thing's like 25 years old now} and a bamboo.

Goodness, Sounds like you picked hard things to keep or are they easier than i think?
I like annuals too, I spread them out among my daylillys. Our annuals are already in stores and i've bought some of mine. We should'nt have anymore frosts.

Hi, I was reading this and just wanted to chime in. I have been growing my Christmas cactus for 8 years now and it has never bloomed on Christmas, but it blooms every Easter without fail. :)

Yours could be an Easter cactus then. They look somewhat similar.

Edited to add a link to some pictures: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/100676/

This message was edited Jun 9, 2011 6:48 AM