Christmas cactus is a popular houseplant that blooms in winter. Its fleshy leaves and colorful flowers come in shades of pink, red, and white. This cactus is easy to care for and can thrive in low light conditions. It is native to Brazil and is a hybrid of several other Schlumbergera species. It is also known for its long lifespan and can live for over 20 years with proper care.
Planting Time
Spring, Summer, Fall
Care Guide for Christmas cactus
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Watering Care
Average water needs, watering when the top 3 cm of soil has dried out.
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Christmas cactus
Sunlight
Partial sun
Hardiness Zones
10 to 12
Planting Time
Spring, Summer, Fall
Key Facts About Christmas cactus
Feedback
Attributes of Christmas cactus
Lifespan
Perennial
Plant Type
Succulent
Plant Height
10 inches
Spread
80 cm
Leaf Color
Green
Flower Color
Red
Pink
Leaf type
Evergreen
Ideal Temperature
20 - 38 ℃
Growth Season
Winter
Trivia and Interesting Facts
Legend has it that the immortal Christmas cactus used to be bright and soft. In order to protect it, God put on an armor of hard steel thorns. Every creature intending to hurt it would bleed.
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Common Pests & Diseases About Christmas cactus
Feedback
Common issues for Christmas cactus based on 10 million real cases
Treat and prevent plant diseases.
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Stem drop
Stem drop is a disease affecting Christmas cactus, characterized by the sagging and eventual dropping of stems. This issue is often linked to unfavorable environmental conditions or fungal infections, leading to significant plant stress and potential loss.
Scars
Any light-colored markings that appear on stems but which do not enlarge or multiply are simply scars that have healed.
Solutions: Each source of scarring requires a different approach to help your plant recover. Protect the trunk and leaves from physical damage like scrapes. If pests or disease are the cause of scarring, isolate the plant from others to avoid further spread. Some pests can be removed with organic remedies such as a soft cloth and soapy water solution or diluted isopropyl alcohol spray. Stop sunburn by moving your plant away from direct sunlight and making sure it has the water it needs. Frequent leaf or bud loss may be due to insufficient light or nutrients.
Underwatering
Leaves may wilt for a variety of reasons.
Solutions: The easiest (and most obvious) way to address underwatering is to fully hydrate the plant. However, this must be done carefully. A common mistake that many gardeners make is to douse their underwatered plants with water. This can overwhelm the roots of the plant and shock its system, something that can be even more damaging than the lack of water to begin with. Instead, water thoroughly and slowly, taking breaks to let the water slowly saturate through the soil to get to the roots. Use room temperature water, as cold water might be too much of a shock. In the future, shorten the time between waterings. A good rule of thumb is to check the soil around each plant daily. If it’s dry to at least two inches down, it’s time to water. If a container plant is repeatedly drying out very quickly, repotting into a slower-draining container might be a good idea, too.
Fruit withering
Fungal infection or normal ripening can cause the fruit to dry out.
Solutions: There are a number of appropriate solutions to control fruit withering: Remove any fruit as soon as it shows any signs of infection. Do not compost. Use a fungicide prior to leaf bud and then as per manufacturers instructions throughout the season.
Stem drop
Overview
Symptom
Causes
Treatment
Prevention
Active Period
What is Stem drop Disease on Christmas cactus?
Stem drop is a disease affecting Christmas cactus, characterized by the sagging and eventual dropping of stems. This issue is often linked to unfavorable environmental conditions or fungal infections, leading to significant plant stress and potential loss.
Symptom Analysis
In Christmas cactus, symptoms include wilting and softening of stems, changes in leaf color, and the eventual detachment of stems from the main body of the plant.
What Causes Stem drop Disease on Christmas cactus?
1
Environmental Stress
Extreme temperatures, improper watering, and poor light conditions can weaken Christmas cactus, making it susceptible to stem drop.
2
Fungal Infections
Fungi such as Fusarium spp. can infect weakened stems, causing them to rot and drop.
How to Treat Stem drop Disease on Christmas cactus?
1
Non pesticide
Environmental Adjustment: Modify the plant's environment by ensuring adequate light, temperature, and humidity levels.
Proper Watering: Water the plant thoroughly while allowing the soil to dry out between watering sessions.
2
Pesticide
Fungicidal Spray: Apply a fungicidal spray recommended for Fusarium or other root-rot fungi to affected areas, following label directions carefully.
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Scars
Any light-colored markings that appear on stems but which do not enlarge or multiply are simply scars that have healed.
Symptom Analysis
Scars form when the plant repairs wounds. They can be the result of people or pets passing by and scraping the plant. Once the underlying issue is resolved, the plant will heal but a scar may remain.
Pests and pathogens can also cause scarring. Insects may attack the plant for a meal, resulting in extensive scarring when a few invaders turn into an infestation. Diseases such as fungus and bacteria can weaken the plant, causing brown spots, mushy areas, or blisters that lead to scars.
Scars occur on stems when a leaf or bud has been lost and the plant has healed. The harder tissue is like a scab that protects a wound.
On other occasions, scars can signal problems from environmental conditions, such as overexposure to sunlight or heat. It might surprise you to know that plants can suffer from sunburn, even desert dwellers like cactus!
Solutions
Each source of scarring requires a different approach to help your plant recover.
Protect the trunk and leaves from physical damage like scrapes.
If pests or disease are the cause of scarring, isolate the plant from others to avoid further spread. Some pests can be removed with organic remedies such as a soft cloth and soapy water solution or diluted isopropyl alcohol spray.
Stop sunburn by moving your plant away from direct sunlight and making sure it has the water it needs.
Frequent leaf or bud loss may be due to insufficient light or nutrients.
Prevention
Preventing some sources of scarring is easier than others, but all start with careful attention to your plants once you decide to bring them home.
Review specific guidelines for your plant, including soil drainage, watering, and fertilizer requirements.
Inspect plants before planting and use sterile pots and fresh potting soil or media to limit transfer of fungi or bacteria.
Once established, check your plants regularly for signs of scarring or the presence of pests, as it is better to catch problems as early as possible.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
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Scan the QR code with your phone camera to download the app
Underwatering
Leaves may wilt for a variety of reasons.
Overview
Underwatering plants is one of the quickest ways to kill them. This is something that most gardeners are well aware of. Unfortunately, knowing exactly how much water a plant needs can be tricky, especially considering that underwatering and overwatering present similar symptoms in plants.
Therefore, it’s important to be vigilant and attentive to each plants’ individual needs.
Symptom Analysis
As mentioned earlier, overwatering and underwatering present similar symptoms in plants. These symptoms include poor growth, wilted leaves, defoliation, and brown leaf tips or margins. Ultimately, both underwatering and overwatering can lead to the death of a plant.
The easiest way to determine whether a plant has too much water or too little is to look at the leaves. If underwatering is the culprit, the leaves will look brown and crunchy, while if it’s overwatering, they will appear yellow or a pale green in color.
When this issue first begins, there may be no noticeable symptoms at all, particularly in hardy or drought-tolerant plants. However, they will begin to wilt once they start suffering from a lack of water. The edges of the plant’s leaves will become brown or curled. Soil pulling away from the edges of the planter is a telltale sign, or a crispy, brittle stem.
Prolonged underwatering can cause a plant’s growth to become stunted. The leaves might drop and the plant can be more susceptible to pest infestations, too.
Disease Cause
Underwatering is caused by, quite simply, not watering plants often or deeply enough. There is a heightened risk of underwatering if any of these situations apply:
Extreme heat and dry weather (when growing outdoors)
Grow lights or indoor lighting that is too bright or intense for the type of plant
Using fast-draining growing media such as sand
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants and unlimited guides at your fingertips...
Scan the QR code with your phone camera to download the app
Fruit withering
Fungal infection or normal ripening can cause the fruit to dry out.
Overview
Fruit withering is common on many tree fruits, including apples, pears, peaches, cherries, and plums, as well as fruiting shrubs. It is caused by a fungal pathogen and will result in wrinkled and desiccated fruit.
Symptom Analysis
Here are the most common symptoms in the order that they are likely to occur.
Both leaves and blossom on the tips of branches will go brown and wither.
Gray powdery patches will appear on infected leaves and flowers, and this will be most apparent after rain.
Any fruit that does appear will turn wrinkled and fail to develop.
Branch tips begin to die, progressing back to larger branches, causing general deterioration of the tree or plant.
Disease Cause
The withering is caused by one of two fungal pathogens, one called Monilina laxa and the other called M. fructigen. The spores overwinter on infected plant material and are then spread the following spring by wind, rain, or animal vectors. The problem will start to become noticeable in mid-spring, but will increase in severity as summer progresses and the fungus grows. If not addressed, the disease will intensify and spread to other plants in the vicinity.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants and unlimited guides at your fingertips...
Scan the QR code with your phone camera to download the app
More Info on Christmas Cactus Growth and Care
Feedback
Common Pests & Diseases
Stem drop
Stem drop is a disease affecting Christmas cactus, characterized by the sagging and eventual dropping of stems. This issue is often linked to unfavorable environmental conditions or fungal infections, leading to significant plant stress and potential loss.
Read More
Scale insect
Scale insects are pests that attach themselves to the surfaces of Christmas cactus, sucking sap and weakening the plant. They appear as small, brownish bumps and can cause leaf yellowing and drop.
Read More
Stem wrinkling
Stem wrinkling in Christmas cactus leads to irregular, bumpy, and deformed growth patterns on the stems, which hinder plant aesthetics and health. This disease primarily impacts plant vigor and can lead to severe plant stress if not managed properly.
Read More
Mealybug
Mealybug is a common pest that infests and harms Christmas cactus, leading to stunted growth and potentially death if untreated. The disease is recognizable by distinctive white, cottony masses on the plant.
Read More
Scars
Scars on Christmas cactus usually manifest due to physical damage or pest attacks, leading to aesthetic and physiological detriments but rarely causing fatal outcomes.
Read More
Stem rot
Stem rot is a serious fungal infection that specifically affects Christmas cactus, leading to weakened stems, and potential plant death if untreated. The disease thrives in damp conditions lacking proper air circulation.
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About
Care Guide
More Info
Pests & Diseases
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Care FAQ
Christmas cactus
Schlumbergera × buckleyi
Christmas cactus is a popular houseplant that blooms in winter. Its fleshy leaves and colorful flowers come in shades of pink, red, and white. This cactus is easy to care for and can thrive in low light conditions. It is native to Brazil and is a hybrid of several other Schlumbergera species. It is also known for its long lifespan and can live for over 20 years with proper care.
Planting Time
Spring, Summer, Fall
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Download
Key Facts About Christmas cactus
Feedback
Attributes of Christmas cactus
Lifespan
Perennial
Plant Type
Succulent
Plant Height
10 inches
Spread
80 cm
Leaf Color
Green
Flower Color
Red
Pink
Leaf type
Evergreen
Ideal Temperature
20 - 38 ℃
Growth Season
Winter
Gain more valuable plant knowledge
Explore a rich botanical encyclopedia for deeper insights
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Trivia and Interesting Facts
Legend has it that the immortal Christmas cactus used to be bright and soft. In order to protect it, God put on an armor of hard steel thorns. Every creature intending to hurt it would bleed.
Plant care made easier than ever with our tailor-made smart care reminder.
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Common Pests & Diseases About Christmas cactus
Feedback
Common issues for Christmas cactus based on 10 million real cases
Plant disease auto-diagnose & prevention
AI-powered plant doctor helps you diagnose plant problems in seconds.
Download the App for Free
Stem drop
Stem drop is a disease affecting Christmas cactus, characterized by the sagging and eventual dropping of stems. This issue is often linked to unfavorable environmental conditions or fungal infections, leading to significant plant stress and potential loss.
Learn More About the Stem drop
Scars
Any light-colored markings that appear on stems but which do not enlarge or multiply are simply scars that have healed.
Solutions: Each source of scarring requires a different approach to help your plant recover. Protect the trunk and leaves from physical damage like scrapes. If pests or disease are the cause of scarring, isolate the plant from others to avoid further spread. Some pests can be removed with organic remedies such as a soft cloth and soapy water solution or diluted isopropyl alcohol spray. Stop sunburn by moving your plant away from direct sunlight and making sure it has the water it needs. Frequent leaf or bud loss may be due to insufficient light or nutrients.
Learn More About the Scars
Underwatering
Leaves may wilt for a variety of reasons.
Solutions: The easiest (and most obvious) way to address underwatering is to fully hydrate the plant. However, this must be done carefully. A common mistake that many gardeners make is to douse their underwatered plants with water. This can overwhelm the roots of the plant and shock its system, something that can be even more damaging than the lack of water to begin with. Instead, water thoroughly and slowly, taking breaks to let the water slowly saturate through the soil to get to the roots. Use room temperature water, as cold water might be too much of a shock. In the future, shorten the time between waterings. A good rule of thumb is to check the soil around each plant daily. If it’s dry to at least two inches down, it’s time to water. If a container plant is repeatedly drying out very quickly, repotting into a slower-draining container might be a good idea, too.
Learn More About the Underwatering
Fruit withering
Fungal infection or normal ripening can cause the fruit to dry out.
Solutions: There are a number of appropriate solutions to control fruit withering: Remove any fruit as soon as it shows any signs of infection. Do not compost. Use a fungicide prior to leaf bud and then as per manufacturers instructions throughout the season.
Learn More About the Fruit withering
Stem drop
Overview
Symptom
Causes
Treatment
Prevention
Active Period
What is Stem drop Disease on Christmas cactus?
Stem drop is a disease affecting Christmas cactus, characterized by the sagging and eventual dropping of stems. This issue is often linked to unfavorable environmental conditions or fungal infections, leading to significant plant stress and potential loss.
Symptom Analysis
In Christmas cactus, symptoms include wilting and softening of stems, changes in leaf color, and the eventual detachment of stems from the main body of the plant.
What Causes Stem drop Disease on Christmas cactus?
1
Environmental Stress
Extreme temperatures, improper watering, and poor light conditions can weaken Christmas cactus, making it susceptible to stem drop.
2
Fungal Infections
Fungi such as Fusarium spp. can infect weakened stems, causing them to rot and drop.
How to Treat Stem drop Disease on Christmas cactus?
1
Non pesticide
Environmental Adjustment: Modify the plant's environment by ensuring adequate light, temperature, and humidity levels.
Proper Watering: Water the plant thoroughly while allowing the soil to dry out between watering sessions.
2
Pesticide
Fungicidal Spray: Apply a fungicidal spray recommended for Fusarium or other root-rot fungi to affected areas, following label directions carefully.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants unlimited guides at your fingertips...
Scars
Any light-colored markings that appear on stems but which do not enlarge or multiply are simply scars that have healed.
Symptom Analysis
Scars form when the plant repairs wounds. They can be the result of people or pets passing by and scraping the plant. Once the underlying issue is resolved, the plant will heal but a scar may remain.
Pests and pathogens can also cause scarring. Insects may attack the plant for a meal, resulting in extensive scarring when a few invaders turn into an infestation. Diseases such as fungus and bacteria can weaken the plant, causing brown spots, mushy areas, or blisters that lead to scars.
Scars occur on stems when a leaf or bud has been lost and the plant has healed. The harder tissue is like a scab that protects a wound.
On other occasions, scars can signal problems from environmental conditions, such as overexposure to sunlight or heat. It might surprise you to know that plants can suffer from sunburn, even desert dwellers like cactus!
Solutions
Each source of scarring requires a different approach to help your plant recover.
Protect the trunk and leaves from physical damage like scrapes.
If pests or disease are the cause of scarring, isolate the plant from others to avoid further spread. Some pests can be removed with organic remedies such as a soft cloth and soapy water solution or diluted isopropyl alcohol spray.
Stop sunburn by moving your plant away from direct sunlight and making sure it has the water it needs.
Frequent leaf or bud loss may be due to insufficient light or nutrients.
Prevention
Preventing some sources of scarring is easier than others, but all start with careful attention to your plants once you decide to bring them home.
Review specific guidelines for your plant, including soil drainage, watering, and fertilizer requirements.
Inspect plants before planting and use sterile pots and fresh potting soil or media to limit transfer of fungi or bacteria.
Once established, check your plants regularly for signs of scarring or the presence of pests, as it is better to catch problems as early as possible.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants unlimited guides at your fingertips...
Underwatering
Leaves may wilt for a variety of reasons.
Overview
Underwatering plants is one of the quickest ways to kill them. This is something that most gardeners are well aware of. Unfortunately, knowing exactly how much water a plant needs can be tricky, especially considering that underwatering and overwatering present similar symptoms in plants.
Therefore, it’s important to be vigilant and attentive to each plants’ individual needs.
Symptom Analysis
As mentioned earlier, overwatering and underwatering present similar symptoms in plants. These symptoms include poor growth, wilted leaves, defoliation, and brown leaf tips or margins. Ultimately, both underwatering and overwatering can lead to the death of a plant.
The easiest way to determine whether a plant has too much water or too little is to look at the leaves. If underwatering is the culprit, the leaves will look brown and crunchy, while if it’s overwatering, they will appear yellow or a pale green in color.
When this issue first begins, there may be no noticeable symptoms at all, particularly in hardy or drought-tolerant plants. However, they will begin to wilt once they start suffering from a lack of water. The edges of the plant’s leaves will become brown or curled. Soil pulling away from the edges of the planter is a telltale sign, or a crispy, brittle stem.
Prolonged underwatering can cause a plant’s growth to become stunted. The leaves might drop and the plant can be more susceptible to pest infestations, too.
Disease Cause
Underwatering is caused by, quite simply, not watering plants often or deeply enough. There is a heightened risk of underwatering if any of these situations apply:
Extreme heat and dry weather (when growing outdoors)
Grow lights or indoor lighting that is too bright or intense for the type of plant
Using fast-draining growing media such as sand
Solutions
The easiest (and most obvious) way to address underwatering is to fully hydrate the plant. However, this must be done carefully. A common mistake that many gardeners make is to douse their underwatered plants with water. This can overwhelm the roots of the plant and shock its system, something that can be even more damaging than the lack of water to begin with.
Instead, water thoroughly and slowly, taking breaks to let the water slowly saturate through the soil to get to the roots. Use room temperature water, as cold water might be too much of a shock.
In the future, shorten the time between waterings. A good rule of thumb is to check the soil around each plant daily. If it’s dry to at least two inches down, it’s time to water. If a container plant is repeatedly drying out very quickly, repotting into a slower-draining container might be a good idea, too.
Prevention
Always check the soil before watering. If the top inch of soil feels moist, though not wet, the watering is perfect. If it’s dry, water it immediately. If it feels soggy, you avoid watering until it dries out a bit more.
Also, make sure the lighting is sufficient for the species. Plants grow faster and need more water when there is intense light or lots of heat. Being aware of these conditions and modifying them, if possible, is a good way to prevent underwatering. Many container plants are potted in soil mixtures mean to be well-draining. Adding materials that retain moisture, like compost or peat moss, can also prevent these symptoms.
Other tips to prevent underwatering include:
Choose pots with adequately-sized drainage holes
Avoid warm temperatures
Use large pots with additional soil (these take longer to dry out)
Avoid terracotta pots, which lose water quickly
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants unlimited guides at your fingertips...
Fruit withering
Fungal infection or normal ripening can cause the fruit to dry out.
Overview
Fruit withering is common on many tree fruits, including apples, pears, peaches, cherries, and plums, as well as fruiting shrubs. It is caused by a fungal pathogen and will result in wrinkled and desiccated fruit.
Symptom Analysis
Here are the most common symptoms in the order that they are likely to occur.
Both leaves and blossom on the tips of branches will go brown and wither.
Gray powdery patches will appear on infected leaves and flowers, and this will be most apparent after rain.
Any fruit that does appear will turn wrinkled and fail to develop.
Branch tips begin to die, progressing back to larger branches, causing general deterioration of the tree or plant.
Disease Cause
The withering is caused by one of two fungal pathogens, one called Monilina laxa and the other called M. fructigen. The spores overwinter on infected plant material and are then spread the following spring by wind, rain, or animal vectors. The problem will start to become noticeable in mid-spring, but will increase in severity as summer progresses and the fungus grows. If not addressed, the disease will intensify and spread to other plants in the vicinity.
Solutions
There are a number of appropriate solutions to control fruit withering:
Remove any fruit as soon as it shows any signs of infection. Do not compost.
Use a fungicide prior to leaf bud and then as per manufacturers instructions throughout the season.
Prevention
Preventative measures include:
Ensuring adequate spacing between plants or trees.
Staking plants that are prone to tumbling to prevent moisture or humidity build up.
Prune correctly so that there is adequate air movement and remove any dead or diseased branches that may carry spores.
Practice good plant hygiene by removing fallen material and destroying it as soon as possible.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants unlimited guides at your fingertips...
17,000 local species +400,000 global species studied
Nearly 5 years of research
80+ scholars in botany and gardening
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants unlimited guides at your fingertips...
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