Moon Cactus
4.6 out of 5 (252 experiences)
Survivor
Fast grower
Also known as
Chin Cactus, Plaid Cactus, Rose Plaid Cactus and Britton & Rose Cactus
Taxonomy
Gymnocalycium mihanovichii
Gymnocalycium
Cactaceae
Caryophyllales
How to care for Moon Cactus
How often to water your Moon Cactus
every 12
Moon Cactus needs 0.5 cups of water every 12 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.
Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Water 0.5 cups every
12
Finding light for Moon Cactus in your home
a window
Moon Cactus love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.
Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.
Moon Cactus does not tolerate low-light 🚫.
Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Moon Cactus in your home 🏡.
How to fertilize Moon Cactus
Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.
By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.
To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Moon Cactus after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.
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Pot ideas #MoonCactus Looking to replant my moon cactus in a bigger and better pot. But not sure what to use for soil or how big of a pot I should get
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My plant is doing great  #HappyPlants #NewGrowth
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Just noticed that I have these spot on the top of the cactus. What is it and how can I help get rid of it if it is bad? #MoonCactus
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It’s been 3 weeks and more, should I water it? #MoonCactus
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How does a moon cactus grow #MoonCactus
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Hi #MoonCactus
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So I am new to this app and have only grown a few things. My cactus is turning yellow at the base and spreading across now. While all my other plants next to it on the same schedule and sun light are doing great. What causes this? #MoonCactus
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Are its conditions fine somethings looks weird tell me what i should do if somethings wrong #MoonCactus
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Is this normal? :( #MoonCactus
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How often do I water her? I last watered Jennifer on January 22nd, when I got her since she most likely wasn't watered at Walmart. I know cacti aren't watered frequently, but when do I water her again? I'm afraid I'm entirely new to gardening and taking care of plants. I want to do well so I can convince my husband that I can have a garden.
Care Summary for Moon Cactus
Moon Cactus
Greg recommends:
Water
0.5 cups every 12 days
Placement
< 1ft from a window
Nutrients
Repot after 2x growth
Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.
What other plant parents say
Survivor 187
Fast grower 35
Blooms easily 30
Easy to propagate 26
Browns easily 9
Large, lush leaves 6
Pest magnet 3
04/06/2022
Don't buy this parasitic couple if you're using an indoor grow light...if it's too late then they need direct light on its base and not the colorful top so get your Lego sets out and start building a small house to both hide and help your moon cactus stay happy under direct light ...i used a tall plastic water bottle for a bit because the cap was blocking enough light...sure it's pretty but at what cost...they don't even like each other
Browns easily
01/01/2022
love my moon cactus, they look so cool and THEY’RE RED!! I love red. super easy to take care of because it’s a cactus so it doesn’t need a ton of attention and only needs to be watered occasionally but they do tend to die kind of quickly. with my first one, the cactus drank up all the water wayyy too quickly and the red bulb at the top filled with water and it ended up dying after about 7 months. my new one has survived a good six months so far but the bottom that is partially in the soil is starting to wilt. it’s limp and brown but i’m hoping some good old tlc will revive it.
11/20/2021
The colorful part and the green part are actually two separate cacti! The colorful one can’t produce chlorophyll, so it’s grafted to the bottom one! It’s actually parasitic, but if the bottom cactus begins to show signs of dying, the top can be removed and re-grafted to a different host to save both cacti!
Survivor