CHRISTMAS CACTUS
A low maintenance houseplant that blooms during the festive season. Perfect for adding a natural touch to your holiday decor, or a thoughtful gift that symbolises longevity and warmth. Christmas Cacti can live for years and are often passed down through generations.
WATER
Whilst your Christmas Cactus is blooming you should keep it consistently moist. Once it has stopped flowering and the plant goes into it's dormant phase you should allow to dry out between watering.
LIGHT
Your Christmas Cactus will enjoy bright indirect light for most of the year. However to keep it flowering year after year you should allow it to have 2 dormant phases where you move the plant into a cooler shadier spot, once after it has finished flowering and once in the Autumn. Christmas Cactus are a forest Cactus, so unlike desert Cactus they do not enjoy direct sunlight.
FERTILISING
You should feed your Christmas Cactus once a month during the Spring & Summer months. This supports healthy growth that will support the flowers when it is time to bloom.
SOIL
Christmas Cactus are epiphytes meaning they grow on trees much like an Orchid. For this reason they need a very well draining potting mix and should not be allowed to sit in water.
TEMPERATURE
A warm spot away from drafts is essential for your Christmas Cactus. However you should pop it into a cooler spot after flowering and in the Autumn to encourage dormancy.
HUMIDITY
As Christmas Cacti are a type of forest cactus not desert cactus they actually enjoy increased humidity, however you should not mist. You can increase humidity by grouping plants together, creating a pebble tray or using a humidifier.
TOXICITY
Considered non toxic to humans and animals.
General Watering Tips
Place your plant, still in its plastic nursery pot, inside the decorative pot you've chosen. This setup allows the plant to enjoy the drainage and airflow provided by the nursery pot's holes, which are beneficial for root health.
When it’s time to water, you have two options:
1. Top Watering: Take the plant, nursery pot and all, out of the decorative pot and water it over a sink. Allow the water to drain completely before placing it back in the decorative pot to prevent water build up.
2. Bottom Watering: Place the nursery pot in a shallow dish of water and let the plant absorb moisture from the bottom. This method encourages the roots to grow downward and reduces the risk of overwatering.
Both methods help keep your plant healthy by promoting good drainage and root aeration.