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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It came in a 3" pot, should I reansplant it to a 5 inch plant? #MoonCactus
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Will this beauty thrive in a plastic pot? Also, what size clay pot should I buy if I get a new pot? #MoonCactus
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I cant say this enough my cactus I think is dieing wat to do??? #MoonCactus
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Moon cactus help! I have this moon cactus that has always thrived but recently seemed to turn brown and maybe even the top is rotting? Any ideas or tips? Or is this a normal process? I recently moved and thought maybe it was too cold in my sunroom so I brought it inside and it hasn’t regained color. Any help would be appreciated!
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RIP Chasity. 2023 - April 2025
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Hi folks, First time owning a moon cactus (about a 4"pot) but I'm not sure how MUCH water to give it. Recommendations? #MoonCactus
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How can I save my cactus? I was told to repot #MoonCactus
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My cactus doesn’t have a crazy amount of sun and is not directly in front of a window it’s more next to the window and a bit in front about .5 foot each Im a bit worried am I good? #MoonCactus
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So if I can’t water it every 9 days how often should I water it #MoonCactus
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Is it okay to be outside #MoonCactus
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
03/30/2022
Water very little, ever two weeks
Survivor
02/03/2022
my baby. has stuck with me for ages i love her
Survivor
01/11/2022
It’s a cactus! Super easy to care for. I’ve moved it to a pot with another cactus and succulent and it seems to be doing well. I just let them hang out on my windowsill and do their thing. Nice, easy plant to have around.
01/10/2022
spikes don’t actually hurt so you can touch the cactus
Blooms easily
Survivor
01/03/2022
If you like to procrastinate, this is 4 u.😄
Survivor
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.
01/01/2022
Easy to care for requires very little watering
Survivor
12/23/2021
Super low-maintenance
Easy to take care of
Hard to kill
Easy to propagate
Survivor
12/21/2021
Easy to care … requires little care or watering
Survivor
12/20/2021
It’s easy to care for…requires very little care and watering
Survivor
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
11/06/2021
This moon cactus is fairly new to me, so far she is a survivor. I have always wanted one so I ended up getting her for hardly anything. I think I paid $1.75 since Krogers had their plants on sale for 50% off.
Survivor
10/15/2021
these plants are kind of doomed to live a short life just because of the nature of the plant(s)
pretty to look at but would definitely not recommend for beginners
Browns easily
10/11/2021
I HATE PLANTS!!!!!!!!$
10/05/2021
Easy to care for, only needs water when soil is thoroughly dry. A very special boi
Survivor
09/23/2021
She’s been nothing but great to me. Right when i bought her i repotted her and she’s just grown twice the size since, she looks amazing and healthy and it’s been over 10 months.
Fast grower
Blooms easily
Survivor
09/22/2021
Gf VM GD g
Survivor
09/17/2021
You rarely have to water it but I water mines daily in case the soil dries out also if you talk to them they grow !!!
Fast grower
Blooms easily
Easy to propagate
Survivor
09/14/2021
Adds color to any small garden. A fun cactus.
Survivor
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