You can experience the growth of a Christmas Cactus like yours, which lives for years. Learn tips to make it bloom just before the holidays.
The name itself describes that these adorable plants bloom the prettiest when they receive 12 hours or so of darkness daily, with long winter nights. However, it isn’t as easy as it seems. But this is why we are here. Read ahead to find out how to make them bloom just before the holidays and leave everyone awestruck.
Tips to Get Your Christmas Cactus to Bloom
Start Right Away
Your Christmas Cactus will love you if you limit light exposure beginning around the middle of October, to make sure it blooms by December. Don’t wait if you need them to bloom before December. Start right away!
Also, ensure the plant isn’t exposed to sudden bright light at night, such as from nearby street lamps or phones, as it can confuse its bloom cycle. Covering it lightly with a box or cloth during dark hours helps maintain a consistent light routine.
Put it in an Infrequently Used and Dark Room
12-15 hours of darkness? No problem. Find a spot in an infrequently used room and move your plant there, where there are no lamps or lights. But, here is the catch: ensure it has windows because the plant still needs light to photosynthesize, so placing it in a continuously dark location is not advised.
If space is limited, you can also create a “dark zone” using a breathable fabric cover in the same room—just remove it during the day to let the plant breathe and get sunlight.
The Cooler the Better
Christmas cactus plants form flowers best when daytime temperatures are 65°F to 70°F and nighttime temperatures are 55°F to 65°F. They won’t hate you for putting them in the wrong temperatures, but why would you make them go through problems when you can choose a cool space instead?
One way to achieve this is simply by placing your plant outdoors so that they are exposed to these lower nighttime temperatures for a few weeks.
Just make sure the temperature doesn’t drop below 50°F, as it can shock the plant. If your nights are too cold, try keeping it near a slightly open window indoors—it’ll still get a taste of that chill it needs to bloom.
Water When the Soil Surface Is Dry
Check the soil moisture every few days. If you feel the surface is dry when you touch it, water the plant deeply. Make sure the excess water drains out of the pot. While flower buds are forming, you should water it more regularly than you might otherwise.
If you continue to keep the watering sparingly while flower buds have started to form, the small buds will end up dropping off before they open. So keep a check on your plant and resume normal watering as soon as you see buds forming.
Avoid misting the plant directly during the budding stage, as the excess moisture can cause fungal spots or make buds fall off. Instead, keep a small humidifier nearby if your indoor air feels too dry.
Keep an Eye on the Flower Buds
Watch for flower buds to form at the tip of each stem and note the date when the buds appear. About eight weeks after the buds form, when they are plump and showing some color, move the plant to a spot where you can enjoy the flowers.
Pro tip: Avoid areas where the temperature fluctuates, like near a frequently used door or a radiator. Big temperature switches can cause the Christmas Cactus to drop its buds.
Once buds appear, avoid moving or rotating the plant often. Even small changes in light direction or position can stress it, causing buds to drop before blooming. Keep it steady until it finishes flowering.
Prepare for Next Year
After blooming, keep your Christmas cactus in a bright room and water when the top inch of soil feels dry. In spring, fertilize with liquid houseplant fertilizer (half-strength) every 4 weeks from May to August. This promotes strong growth, preparing it for the next holiday bloom.
You can also prune the plant slightly after flowering—snip off 1–2 segments from the tips. This encourages branching and the development of more buds next year, making your cactus even fuller and more likely to bloom.
Christmas Cacti are native to the rainforests that bloom in numerous ways, and each color will bring a different vibe to your home aesthetic. Let us know how you find this process of making your Christmas Cactus bloom in the comments below.
