![]() Around 15 hours of dark is needed and you may need to “trick” your plant with artificial darkness to get it to set buds. These cooler temperatures and longer hours of complete darkness are essential for getting a Thanksgiving cactus to bloom. Holiday cactus are short day plants, which means that they need long hours of darkness for 6 weeks in order to set their buds. *Do not fertilize or re pot while the plant is blooming! How To Get Thanksgiving Cactus To Bloom However, the following year you will have to create the right conditions for your cacti to bloom in. Optimal temperatures for a Christmas cactus is around 68-70 degrees. Typically when you purchase a Thanksgiving cactus around the holidays, the buds will already be set and it will bloom shortly.īlooms can last up to 8 weeks if properly cared for. Thanksgiving cactus bloom in late fall, right around the time of the holiday in November. The bloom is incredibly festive, reminiscent of a beautiful holiday ornament. There is a cluster of long, brilliant stamens bursting forth from the center of the tepals. The flower tepals (which look like the petals), unfurl backwards toward the plant, then begin to fuse together towards the end of the flower, forming a tube. Thanksgiving cactus give an absolutely stunning bloom! Medium sized buds grow from areoles at the tips of the stem. Long nights are needed for buds to set in the fall (at least 14 hours of darkness). Pick a spot that is well lit but has no direct sun beams that will fall on the flower. Remember that Thanksgiving cactus are native to the jungle and receive a lot of indirect light in it’s natural habitat.īright, indirect light is essential for this cactus to produce blooms. At this time, water the cactus deeply until water runs out of the bottom of the pot.Īgain, drainage is very important, and avoiding over watering is equally important! Proper watering prevents root rot. You can tell that a Thanksgiving cacti is thirsty and needs to be watered when the top two inches of the soil is dry. Typically, your Thanksgiving cactus will need water once every week to two weeks. In their natural growing environment Thanksgiving cacti are surrounded by decaying matter in the form of leaves and plant debris, which creates an acidic soil. Perlite, a lightweight material made from volcanic ash, can be added to the potting soil and will add drainage and aeration. Heavy potting mixes that stay damp and do not allow draining can kill the plant. Thanksgiving cactus grow best in loose, slightly acidic, well draining soil that has good aeration. We go in depth on soil, water, and light requirements here: Soil Make sure you have adequate drainage holes in the bottom of your container before potting. To care for a thanksgiving cacti, give her a home in indirect bright light and make sure the soil is moist but well draining. They make a savvy gift for your Thanksgiving host. Thanksgiving cactus are available in a variety of colors and can be purchased at garden centers and grocery stores during the holiday season. When in bloom, they look like a beautiful firework display. The flowers hang downwards or horizontally and have tepals that are tubular in shape and curve backwards towards the base of the plant. The plant is composed of green stem segments which act to absorb light and perform photosynthesis. The unique tepals of this plant point backwards and reveal the stamen and pollen within. In the wild, they grow on a woody base and can reach 4 feet in height. Their environment is shady with moderate temperatures. They are an epiphyte, which is a plant that derives it’s nutrients from air and water and grows on another plant, such as a tree. Thanksgiving cacti grow in the coastal mountain regions of Brazil and make their homes in rocks and trees. They bloom as their name indicates, around Easter and Christmas. Christmas cactus and Easter cactus are two similar cactus beloved in the US. Several different plants from this genus are commonly grown in the US from this region, and are differentiated by the time of year in which they bloom. Thanksgiving cacti, sometimes called crab claw cactus due to shape, are part of a small genus of cactus called Schlumbergera. She craves indirect light and cool temperatures bring out her prolific blooms! When we think of cactus we often think of dry deserts, little water and heat.īut the Thanksgiving cacti is a tropical plant, native to South American jungles, where life is shaded and cool. ![]() Thanksgiving cactus are a tropical plant that bloom in cool temperatures. How Often Does A Thanksgiving Cactus Bloom?.Thanksgiving Cactus Vs Christmas Cactus.How To Get Thanksgiving Cactus To Bloom. ![]()
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