It is known for its rich blooms and yet it can happen that the Christmas cactus just doesn't bloom. We show what helps now.
In the first year you buy the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi) with numerous flower buds. However, after the cold season, the flowering splendor of the cactus plant (Cactaceae) is over for the time being. With the right care in winter, in summer and with the right location, you can admire the beautiful flowers again next winter. Ultimately, the interplay between the right temperature and the right lighting conditions is the key factor in getting the Christmas cactus to bloom.
Tip: The Easter cactus (Hatiora x graeseri) looks very similar to the Christmas cactus, blooms but at another time. If your Christmas cactus blooms in the summer, first check that it isn't an Easter cactus after all.
Blooming the Christmas cactus: The right care in summer
The flowering period of the Christmas cactus extends from November to January. Before and after, he needs a short rest period. While dormant, the Christmas cactus needs little water and no fertilizer. These care measures are increasingly necessary in the growth phase in summer, i.e. after flowering in the case of the Christmas cactus.
For the care of the Christmas cactus after flowering, this means a prescribed rest period without water and fertilizer. After that, between April and September, as well as during the flowering period, you should water the Christmas cactus more regularly, but under no circumstances should waterlogging occur. It is also important to use lime-free water. It is also advisable to fertilize the Christmas cactus during the growth phase, about every four weeks with a liquid fertilizer. For example, our Plantura organic indoor and green plant fertilizer is ideal for this, because it has a favorable ratio of the main nutrients nitrogen and for the cactusPotassium, which ensures resistant and he althy shoots. In addition, it can be easily administered via the irrigation water and the nutrients are directly available to the plant. If you want to repot the Christmas cactus, the beginning of summer is also the right time for this.
If there is no longer any threat of frost, the winter cactus can also spend the summer outdoors. It feels most comfortable in a semi-shady location, as it does not tolerate direct sunlight that well. Protected from the sun, the Christmas cactus spends the summer outdoors. However, it is not worth planting it out, because at temperatures below 10 °C it has to move back inside. For optimal Christmas cactus care in summer, there are a few points to consider.
Bloom the Christmas Cactus: Instructions
- Before and after flowering dormant periods with little water and no fertilizer.
- Increase watering as needed when new growth occurs and resume fertilizing every 4 weeks with liquid fertilizer.
- If the temperatures allow it (when it's no colder than 10 °C), the Christmas cactus can move outside with the pot for the summer.
- Semi-shady location - the Christmas cactus does not tolerate full sun.
- As soon as the temperature falls below 10 °C, he has to move back into the house.
These factors influence the flowering of the Christmas cactus
When it gets cooler outside, the crucial preparation phase slowly begins to get the Christmas cactus to bloom. Care and location, especially the length of the day, play a decisive role here. Watering should be significantly reduced from September. Slightly cooler temperatures around 15 °C favor the formation of the desired flowers. However, it should not be colder than 10 °C, because then hardly any buds are formed. Under no circumstances should it be too warm, because from temperatures of around 20 °C it can happen that no buds are formed at all.
The Christmas cactus is a so-called short-day plant, which means that it must not get too much light before flowering. It is best if the plant experiences a maximum day length of nine hours from September. So you have the choice of placing the cactus in a room where there is no disturbing light for too long days, or whether you always darken it. This works, for example, by placing a on the windowsillPut the cardboard over the plant so that no light shines through.
Important: The induction of flowering by the short exposure of the Christmas cactus is already disturbed by a short light impulse. Therefore, for a rich flowering, you should really make sure that no light reaches the plant during the night phase. As soon as the first buds develop, the Christmas cactus can be moved to a lighter and warmer location at around 20°C to speed up the development of the flower buds that have now formed.
At a glance: Factors influencing Christmas cactus bloom
- Interaction between temperature and day length determines flower formation.
- Starting in September, the dormant phase with lower temperatures, significantly reduced watering and shorter day lengths to promote flowering.
- Temperatures around 10 °C: Difficult flower formation regardless of the length of the day.
- Temperatures above 22 °C: flower formation is only inhibited.
- Temperatures around 15 °C and short days (maximum day length of 9 hours) are ideal.
- Dark out, for example with cardboard on the windowsill, or make sure that no light sources provide more than 9 hours of light.
- As soon as the flower buds form: a brighter location and optimal temperatures around 20 °C favor further development.
- Water hardly before and after flowering, keep only slightly moist during flowering.
Christmas cactus not blooming or dropping flowers
You've followed all the tips, but the Christmas cactus isn't blooming? On the way to making the Christmas cactus bloom, one or the other mistake can quickly be made that prevents the Christmas cactus from flowering. That's why we look again from a different angle and list what can have gone wrong if the Christmas cactus simply doesn't want to develop flower buds:
- Excessively high ambient temperature (above 22 °C)
- Ambient temperature too low (around 10 °C)
- Too much light and therefore no short-day conditions of a maximum of 9 hours of daylight
- Stress from wrong watering: Watering too much and maybe even causing waterlogging
When the Christmas cactus has developed its buds, that does not mean that it will also develop its full blooming power. It is in a very sensitive phase and if certain factors are not optimal, it can also simply shed its formed flower buds. A number of reasons can be responsible for the Christmas cactus losing buds.
Christmas cactus loses buds: causes at a glance
- Insufficient light after flower bud development
- Temperatures that are too cool after planting the flower buds - at least 15 °C is recommended
- Watering too generous leading to waterlogging
- Insufficient watering and drought
For more tips on how to propagate, prune and repot your Christmas cactus, check out our related article.