{"id":679,"date":"2025-12-26T13:12:37","date_gmt":"2025-12-26T11:12:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.tadoley.com\/?p=679"},"modified":"2025-12-26T13:12:37","modified_gmt":"2025-12-26T11:12:37","slug":"the-surprising-reason-your-christmas-cactus-isnt-flowering-and-how-to-fix-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tadoley.com\/?p=679","title":{"rendered":"The surprising reason your Christmas cactus isn\u2019t flowering (and how to fix it)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Christmas cacti (Schlumbergera<\/em>) flower over the Christmas period, from late November to January \u2013 hence their name. They make good Christmas gifts \u2013 their bright, trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of red, white, pink, purple and even yellow bring a welcome splash of colour to any room. Their flat, segmented and trailing stems look attractive all year round.<\/p>\n

You’ll find Christmas cactus plants in garden centres or supermarkets during the holiday period, but for the widest range of varieties, its best to buy from specialist retailers online.<\/p>\n

Schlumbergera<\/em> are forest cacti \u2013 in the wild, they grow in tropical rainforests, where they grow attached to trees. This means that need different growing conditions to desert cacti. They need to be kept away from bright sunlight and do best in a humid environment.<\/p>\n

Christmas cacti will flower every year given the right treatment \u2013 the main thing to remember is that they need two periods of rest (in a cool room, with less watering): one after flowering and another in autumn. The plants can last for years and are often handed down through generations.<\/p>\n

How to grow Christmas cactus<\/h2>\n

Grow your Christmas cactus in a warm, bright spot out of direct sunshine, and mist a few times a week. In order to flower every year, Schlumbergera <\/em>need two periods of ‘rest’ \u2013 lower temperatures and less watering \u2013 after flowering in late winter and again in September.\u00a0<\/p>\n

More on growing Christmas cacti:<\/p>\n