Schlumbergera Truncata
4.6 out of 5 (282 experiences)
Survivor
Fast grower
About Schlumbergera Truncata
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
False Christmas Cactus, False Christmas Cactus, Holiday Cactus, Crab Cactus and Thanksgiving Cactus
How to care for Schlumbergera Truncata
How often to water your Schlumbergera Truncata
every 12
Schlumbergera Truncata 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
Schlumbergera Truncata 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 Schlumbergera Truncata in your home 🏡.
How to fertilize Schlumbergera Truncata
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 Schlumbergera Truncata after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.
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I have blooms 😍😍😍 I'm sooo excited 😊
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New baby! Picked up this beauty at Walgreens today! Any advice would be welcome. I have a lot of succulents and will be repotting her into some more appropriate soil after she settles in. #newplants #thanksgivingcactus #plantaddict
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My mom’s Christmas Cactus is blooming like crazy! Such a pretty color of flower too #HappyPlants #PlantsMakePeopleHappy
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Just got my new baby from Amazon. Lots of buds but the pot is definitely to small. #FalseChristmasCactus
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#FreshLeafFriday #FalseChristmasCactus My false christmas cactus surprised me with some lovely blooms this morning!! it has about 6 buds and two have opened completely!! 🌸 Happy Friday greg family! 🥰🪴
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What type of soul to put new plantings in #FalseChristmasCactus
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Was happy for years, but half of the plant wilted and fell off #FalseChristmasCactus This Christmas cactus was a gift from family member a years ago. Was very happy and blooming successfully for a few years. All of a sudden, the leaves started wilting and falling off on one side of the plant. Other side of plant looks ok. I repotted the plant in terracotta pot. The wilting slowed down, but still continues. I water it per greg recommendations. Any suggestions?
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Finds are wilting and falling off. Why? #FalseChristmasCactus
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L👀K at my Christmas cactus! It bloomed in March, making me think it’s a spring cactus, but then here it goes again! Such a rebel!! Love the unpredictable nature of this plant! I have several favorites, but this is definitely one of them. What are your top 3 favorite plants? #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #HappyPlants @AnthuriumQueen @greenlikethumb @HoyaAddict @jaysjungle @jazzyjess @kscape @ProperPukatea @RealSimpleMama @sarahsalith @ShinyBudew @YammieOf3 #NorthTexasGregGang
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I inherited this plant from my mother in law who is ill. It had been left in a home unattended for almost 2 years with watering every 3-4 weeks when we were able to go by to check on the home. I have repotted it and trying to nurture it back to health. Any suggestions. I keep finding pieces that have fallen off.
Schlumbergera Truncata 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
Schlumbergera Truncata thrives in dry soil and should be watered sparingly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
☀️ Sunlight Needs
Schlumbergera Truncata may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves 🍃 without ample sunlight. Place it less than 3 feet from a window to maximize the potential for growth. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.
🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity
Schlumbergera Truncata is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.
False Christmas Cactus Toxicity to Cats →
💨 Humidity
Schlumbergera Truncata prefers dry environments. Providing extra humidity or misting your plant allows water to linger on leaves, which can create the perfect environment for harmful types of fungi.
🪴 Soil
Schlumbergera Truncata is very sensitive to wet soil, so choose a potting soil that drains very well and doesn’t retain too much moisture. A good soil will have lots of perlite or vermiculite for drainage and some organic matter for nutrition. A few handfuls of perlite added to regular store-bought cactus soil will do the trick!
💩 Fertilizer
Schlumbergera Truncata grows very slowly and doesn’t require added fertilizer. Replacing your plant’s potting soil once a year should provide them with more than enough nutrition. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!
❄️ Dormancy
It’s common for Schlumbergera Truncata to go dormant in the wintertime and you may notice their growth slow down. Waterings should be spaced out more during this time.
🌎 Native Region
Schlumbergera Truncata is native to Southeastern Brazil.
🌸 Flowers
Yes, you may see your Schlumbergera Truncata bloom with the right amount of sunlight and water.
⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern
Schlumbergera Truncata grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.
🌦️ Growing Outdoors
USDA Hardiness Zone
Schlumbergera Truncata can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 10a-12b. Find your local hardiness zone here.
🌱 Propagation
Schlumbergera Truncata can be propagated by the stem method. To propagate:
- Make a cut just above the node. The node is the break in the stem where the leaf emerges.
- To get the cutting to root, you can either:
- Place the cutting in water until roots emerge and are ~2” long and then transplant into well-draining soil, or
- Place the cutting directly into well-draining soil and water when dry.
🧐 Troubleshooting
When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.
Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.
Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.
Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.
😖 Common Issues
Overwatering is a likely cause of issues with Schlumbergera Truncata. These plants are very sensitive to wet soil so if you notice your plant becoming squishy or translucent, overwatering is the likely culprit.
Cut your plant just past where the rot ends and allow it to callus over for a few days before replanting it in fresh, dry soil. Download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!
Care Summary for Schlumbergera Truncata
Schlumbergera Truncata
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 189
Fast grower 98
Blooms easily 88
Easy to propagate 87
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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