False Christmas Cactus
4.6 out of 5 (280 experiences)
Survivor
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, Thanksgiving Cactus and False Christmas Cactus 'Thanksgiving'
How to care for False Christmas Cactus
How often to water your False Christmas Cactus
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.
Water 0.5 cups every
12
Finding light for False Christmas Cactus in your home
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 🏡.
How to fertilize False Christmas 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 False Christmas Cactus after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.
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My new plant I Have no idea how to take care of my Christmas cactus can you please help me.
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She’s starting to sprout her flowers! 🌺 every year she gives me white and pink flowers! I’ll post updates in a few weeks when she’s showing them off! #FalseChristmasCactus #sprout #FloweringPlants #flowerpower #HappyPlants #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantAddict #NewGrowth #PlantTherapy
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What are the best conditions for false Christmas cactuses? What is the best pots to put them in? What soil type do they prefer and is sunlight important?
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I finally gotten her to grow from a very tiny sprig she has had couple blooms. I had to move her but she is back to her non direct sun spot but her 'leaves' are falling off. I have a water gauge. We'll drained pot Help #thanksgivingcactus
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Getting ready to bloom! I’ve had my #FalseChristmasCactus for just about a year now and it’s starting to bud for the first time. Probably my most successful plant so far. Enjoy!
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Brown scaly stuff on stems, white dots on leaves, and droopy Any help/advice is greatly appreciated! My mom’s Christmas Cactus is not in direct light but in a bright room that gets lots of sunlight at least half the day. She waters it usually once a week, she’s had it in the same spot for 3 years, repotted 2 months ago. About 3 months ago she started noticing brown scaly stuff on the bottom of the stems near the dirt, the plant has gotten droopy and some leaves have white dots on them. Does anyone know what that problem might be? #ChristmasCactus
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I tried to post this as a question but it won’t let me for some reason…. My mom has had this Christmas Cactus for 3 years. It’s always been very big and healthy, earlier this year it started looking a bit sad, she figured it just needed a new pot and soil refresh she repotted it 2 months ago. That did not seem to fix the issue. It has some strange brown scaly stuff that to me seems to be spreading but I might just be crazy lol. Some of the leaves are yellow which I think may be overwatering I’m not sure, and some of the green leaves have these little white dots on them. And it’s gotten a lot droopier. It is not in direct light but is in a room that gets bright sun for at least half the day. It has been in the same spot for 3 years. I have a Christmas Cactus but I am new to them so I’m still learning what they like and don’t like. What do y’all think is happening here? #ChristmasCactus
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My mom has had this Christmas Cactus for 3 years. It’s always been very big and healthy, earlier this year it started looking a bit sad, she figured it just needed a new pot and soil refresh she repotted it 2 months ago. That did not seem to fix the issue. It has some strange brown scaly stuff that to me seems to be spreading but I might just be crazy lol. Some of the leaves are yellow which I think may be overwatering I’m not sure, and some of the green leaves have these little white dots on them. And it’s gotten a lot droopier. It is not in direct light but is in a room that gets bright sun for at least half the day. It has been in the same spot for 3 years. I have a Christmas Cactus but I am new to them so I’m still learning what they like and don’t like. What do y’all think is happening here? #ChristmasCactus
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Yesterday I was given a 50 year old Christmas cactus! #christmascactus #happyplants
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I just got one and it needs to be pruned. Can I do it now without hurting it? A Christmas cactus. #thanksgivingcactus
Care Summary for 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
Survivor 187
Fast grower 98
Blooms easily 88
Easy to propagate 86
Large, lush leaves 29
Pest magnet 5
Browns easily 2
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
Blooms easily
Easy to propagate
Survivor
03/20/2022
Easy to grow. Not fussy. Can take drought conditions.
Blooms easily
Survivor
03/19/2022
It blooms in the winter, with small colorful dots which turn into big colorful blooms.
Fast grower
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
02/27/2022
One of my long time friends
Fast grower
Easy to propagate
02/05/2022
It’s incredibly sensitive!!! It likes room temperature and not direct light and not to be moved around a lot.
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.
01/18/2022
my grandmother had one, I have one
Survivor
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
Easy to propagate
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
Survivor
12/27/2021
Very pretty when it blooms! Fun even when it’s not!
Blooms easily
12/11/2021
Blooms in fall/winter 🍂🌸
Fast grower
Blooms easily
12/10/2021
Only blooms for a short time.
Survivor
Easy to propagate
12/05/2021
Can’t get to bloom for nothing. But easy to continue to grow lol
Survivor
12/04/2021
Water sparingly
Survivor
Large, lush leaves
11/21/2021
They seem to like to be neglected
Easy to propagate
Survivor
Blooms easily
11/18/2021
Love it so much
Large, lush leaves
Survivor
11/16/2021
Gorgeous showy red blooms in November brighten up the room.
Blooms easily
Survivor
10/23/2021
Likes indirect light!
Easy to propagate
Survivor
10/23/2021
Very cute and grows really well, easy to maintain :)
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