Plant Care False Christmas Cactus

False Christmas Cactus

4.6 out of 5 (282 experiences)

False Christmas Cactus has a Survivor plant personality Survivor
False Christmas Cactus has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower

About False Christmas Cactus

Did you know plants in the Schlumbergera genus are actually leafless? Instead of leaves, they use modified stems to capture sunlight! Unlike the Easter cactus, this species flowers in the later autumn or winter. They also have pointed wings at the corners, where its counterpart has more rounded edges. In the wild, they are epiphytes, meaning they grow on tree branches or rocks! 🌳 🪨

Taxonomy

Schlumbergera truncata
Schlumbergera
Cactaceae
Caryophyllales

Also known as

Holiday Cactus, Crab Cactus and Thanksgiving Cactus

How to care for False Christmas Cactus

Water

How often to water your False Christmas Cactus

Water needs for False Christmas Cactus
0.5 cups
every 12

False Christmas 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.

Calculate water needs of False Christmas Cactus

Water 0.5 cups every
12

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
Light

Check the growing potential in your area

A plant's growing potential is determined from its location, the time of year, and current local weather.

Select a city to check sunlight intensity

Finding light for False Christmas Cactus in your home

Light needs and placement for plant False Christmas Cactus: 3ft from a window
3ft or less from
a window

False Christmas Cactus may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves 🍃, without ample sunlight.

Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of False Christmas Cactus in your home 🏡.

Nutrients

How to fertilize False Christmas Cactus

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for False Christmas Cactus: repot after 2X growth

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 False Christmas Cactus after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

FAQs
Difficulty Level

False Christmas Cactus is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!


Water Needs
Sunlight Needs
Toxicity
Humidity
Soil
Fertilizer
Dormancy
Native Region
Flowers
Growth Pattern
Growing Outdoors
Propagation
Common Issues

Care Summary for False Christmas Cactus

False Christmas Cactus

False Christmas Cactus


Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 12 days

Placement

< 3ft 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

False Christmas Cactus has a Survivor plant personality Survivor 189
False Christmas Cactus has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower 98
False Christmas Cactus has a Blooms easily plant personality Blooms easily 88
False Christmas Cactus has a Easy to propagate plant personality Easy to propagate 87
False Christmas Cactus has a Large, lush leaves plant personality Large, lush leaves 29
False Christmas Cactus has a Pest magnet plant personality Pest magnet 5
False Christmas Cactus has a Browns easily plant personality Browns easily 2
@tango avatar
@@tango
leaf-1 71 Plants
xp 6,050 XP
04/01/2022

Such an amazing plant!! Can get a little leggy and has inconsistent blooming, but overall nearly impossible to kill and very rewarding when it does decide to bloom. ♥️

Fast grower Fast grower
Blooms easily Blooms easily
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Survivor Survivor
Kristin avatar
@Kristin
leaf-1 6 Plants
xp 597 XP
globe Edmonton, Alberta
03/20/2022

Easy to grow. Not fussy. Can take drought conditions.

Blooms easily Blooms easily
Survivor Survivor
Cathy avatar
@Cathy
leaf-1 6 Plants
xp 126 XP
globe Middlebury, IN
03/19/2022

It blooms in the winter, with small colorful dots which turn into big colorful blooms.

Fast grower Fast grower
@UnsulliedLentil avatar
@@UnsulliedLentil
leaf-1 26 Plants
xp 1,073 XP
03/06/2022

I find the Cece.Helmers@gmail.com’s to be easy to grow. Blooms, well that’s different. Mine requires complete darkness for about 7 days then it will bloom.

Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
@YesSalad avatar
@@YesSalad
leaf-1 5 Plants
xp 69 XP
globe Augusta, ME
02/27/2022

One of my long time friends

Fast grower Fast grower
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
@geemcolo avatar
@@geemcolo
leaf-1 10 Plants
xp 1,367 XP
02/05/2022

It’s incredibly sensitive!!! It likes room temperature and not direct light and not to be moved around a lot.

@MariansOasis avatar
@@MariansOasis
leaf-1 91 Plants
xp 14,133 XP
globe Solana Beach, CA
01/23/2022

Find these to be tricky. Mine dropped all its buds when I brought it home. Evidently they don’t like changing environments. Settled in now but all blooms for the holidays were wiped out. Better luck this year.

@VeteranBanana avatar
@@VeteranBanana
leaf-1 4 Plants
xp 172 XP
globe Cumming, GA
01/18/2022

my grandmother had one, I have one

Survivor Survivor
@dylan1stokes avatar
@@dylan1stokes
leaf-1 36 Plants
xp 3,487 XP
globe Witham, England
01/10/2022

This is another new plant of mine which I had never seen before but decided to rescue it and it has plenty of flowers that will be ready to bloom soon

Blooms easily Blooms easily
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
@mossycabbages avatar
@@mossycabbages
leaf-1 66 Plants
xp 3,455 XP
12/29/2021

Very easy to prop but medium rate of growth using grow lights. Overall a very cute plant that’s pretty simple to care for though- just have to watch out for underwatering as the plant wrinkles up

Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Survivor Survivor
@KaylieS avatar
@@KaylieS
leaf-1 36 Plants
xp 8,780 XP
globe Leawood, KS
12/27/2021

Very pretty when it blooms! Fun even when it’s not!

Blooms easily Blooms easily
@Poohbie212 avatar
@@Poohbie212
leaf-1 30 Plants
xp 1,271 XP
globe Orlando, FL
12/11/2021

Blooms in fall/winter 🍂🌸

Fast grower Fast grower
Blooms easily Blooms easily
@NRTOMEGA8880 avatar
@@NRTOMEGA8880
leaf-1 4 Plants
xp 140 XP
12/10/2021

Only blooms for a short time.

Survivor Survivor
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
@catladiekatie avatar
@@catladiekatie
leaf-1 17 Plants
xp 176 XP
globe Chattanooga, TN
12/05/2021

Can’t get to bloom for nothing. But easy to continue to grow lol

Survivor Survivor
Ellen avatar
@Ellen
leaf-1 28 Plants
xp 765 XP
12/04/2021

Water sparingly

Survivor Survivor
Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
@Dovergardener avatar
@@Dovergardener
leaf-1 4 Plants
xp 522 XP
globe Dover, FL
11/21/2021

They seem to like to be neglected

Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Survivor Survivor
Blooms easily Blooms easily
@Greg2005 avatar
@@Greg2005
leaf-1 62 Plants
xp 9,573 XP
globe Gaithersburg, MD
11/18/2021

Love it so much

Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
Survivor Survivor
Diana avatar
@Diana
leaf-1 32 Plants
xp 3,721 XP
globe Swampscott, MA
11/16/2021

Gorgeous showy red blooms in November brighten up the room.

Blooms easily Blooms easily
Survivor Survivor
@R_L15748 avatar
@@R_L15748
leaf-1 91 Plants
xp 15,378 XP
10/23/2021

Likes indirect light!

Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Survivor Survivor
@anielah04 avatar
@@anielah04
leaf-1 5 Plants
xp 91 XP
10/23/2021

Very cute and grows really well, easy to maintain :)

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