Holiday Cacti: Care Tips For The Thanksgiving Cactus Plant

You may already be familiar with the beautiful Christmas cactus, which blooms alongside all the other festive plants like peanuts at the end of the year. But there is another Christmas plant that blooms a month earlier - it's called the Thanksgiving cactus. In fact, there is another relative, the Easter cactus, which blooms in spring.

The three cacti, named after the festivals closest to their flowering season, are native to the rainforests of Brazil. And they all have an incredibly long lifespan of 40 to 100 years, so they're worth adding to your collection of flowering houseplants.

While all of these festive cacti have flattened stem segments, there are some subtle differences in appearance. Thanksgiving cacti have jagged or pointed projections on the outer edges of these segments.

Christmas cacti have jagged or teardrop-shaped edges, and Easter cacti have more rounded edges with small bristles on the segments.

Another identifying characteristic is that Thanksgiving cacti have yellow anthers, which carry pollen, on their flowers. These plants are sometimes mislabeled as Christmas cacti, so look for these key features to see if it really is a Thanksgiving cactus that you are buying!

Here's everything you need to know to care for your Thanksgiving cactus.

How do I care for my Thanksgiving cactus?

Like other Christmas cacti, Thanksgiving cacti prefer bright light but not direct sunlight, which will turn them yellow. During the spring to fall growing season, water when the soil is dry to about 1 inch below the surface (place your finger to feel before watering).

Don't let them wilt and dry out completely, which can cause the roots to wilt as well, so they won't be able to absorb the water when you drink. Also, they are succulent, so don't keep the soil moist, which can lead to rot.

Thanksgiving cacti and their relatives also bloom best when lightly potted, so they don't need to be transplanted for several years. Feed them once a month, April through October, during their active growing season, with a balanced liquid fertilizer like 20-20-20 to stimulate flowering.

How do I get my Thanksgiving cactus to bloom again?

All three types of festive cacti prefer cool night temperatures between 55 and 65 degrees and day temperatures of 60 to 68 degrees. They are also "short-day" plants, which means they need 12 to 24 hours of total, uninterrupted darkness to flower, starting in mid-September.

Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti require 6 weeks of short days, while Easter cacti require 8-12 weeks (that's why they bloom in late spring). Make sure to place them in a room that is not used at night, and also protect them from external light sources at night, such as street lamps or car headlights that pass through a window.

Can I make new Thanksgiving cacti?

Yes! It is very simple. Take out some stem cuttings made up of some segments and let them dry for a day. Push the cut ends of each piece into the moist potting soil.

Cactus soil is the best, but any well-draining soil will do. You can also dip the cut ends in rooting hormone before planting if you want, but it's not entirely necessary.

In a few weeks, the plant should take root and push out new tiny leaf segments.

We hope you enjoy this video about Schlumbergera truncata (Thanksgiving Cactus) Houseplant care:

Source: Summer Rayne Oakes

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