Is your Christmas Cactus Growing Slowly? Here are potential reasons and fixes to revive it before the holiday season!
With beautiful trailing foliage, Schlumbergera is especially sought-after around the festive season for winter and early spring for its blooms that cascade in various bright, bold hues. But sometimes, you don’t see your Christmas cactus growing at its usual pace!
We share reasons why your holiday centerpiece is growing slowly and what you can do to revive it!
Reasons Why Your Christmas Cactus Grows Slowly
1. Not Enough Light
While cacti are often associated with scorching sun, this rainforest native from Brazil prefers ample humidity and a gentler touch. It thrives in dappled sunshine—too much direct sun may scorch its leaves, stress the plant, and leave very little energy to focus on blooms.
However, one of the biggest reasons for Christmas cactus not doing well is keeping it in low light.
The Fix: Look for an east-facing window where your cactus can bask in filtered morning sun and chill in the afternoon shade. If it’s a sunny West or South facing window, keep it slightly away or behind a sheer curtain to avoid direct sun the whole day.
When the flowering season comes, aim for at least 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness each night during fall and winter.
2. Pests On Board
Pests like mealybugs are regular, unwanted visitors that slow down its growth. These tiny, white, sap-sucking insects appear as powdery cotton on the leaves, weakening it. Easily visible to the naked eye, check your plant regularly for signs of infestation.
The Fix: Get rid of these pests by wiping down leaves with a cotton swap soaked in mild insecticidal soap or rubbing alcohol. For larger infestations, you may have to go for something stronger, like neem oil. Here are some DIY recipes.
3. Pot’s the Wrong Size
Another reason why your Christmas cactus is growing slowly is perhaps its container size. A large pot can lead to root rot as the soil stays wet for longer, and a pot too small will have it rootbound, uncomfortably so.
Usually, it’s the oversized container that reduces the growth, as Christmas cactus has very shallow roots.
The Fix: The ideal pot should be just one or two inches larger than the root ball. Avoid using a self watering planter for your Schlumbergera indoors as constant moisture can lead to root rot. Also, repot every 3-4 years or when its roots outgrow the container.
4. Too Warm, Too Cold
Unlike most cacti, this one isn’t a desert dweller thriving in temperature extremes. It enjoys consistency and needs an environment that mimics its humid rainforest origins. Exposing it to too much heat or sudden cold drafts can stunt its growth and lead to its decline.
The Fix: It thrives in temperatures ranging from 55-65 F (12-18 C) at night and 65-80 F (18-27 C) during the day. Place your cactus in a spot that remains humid with no sudden fluctuations.
5. Soil Issues
Give it what it needs, and this plant can live to over 100 years old! And that starts with its growing medium. It prefers slightly acidic to neutral, well-draining soil. Poor drainage and too much fertilizer at the wrong time cause this plant to suffer.
The Fix: Grow it in a medium with equal parts cactus mix or regular potting soil, perlite, and orchid or pine bark.
When your cactus is actively growing in spring and summer, regular light feed with a balanced fertilizer diluted to half its strength helps. However, avoid overfertilizing, as this can damage its roots. Never fertilize after the buds appear!
6. Watering Woes
Watering this plant can be daunting if you do not know how and when. The long-lived Christmas cactus needs to be slightly and never too dry like usual cactus but then it hates wet feet and poor drainage, which can lead to root rot. However, without water, it starts wilting.
The Fix: Water thoroughly when the top one inch of the soil feels dry to the touch, and allow excess water to drain freely. You may have to water more during hot, dry months and less during winter.
7. Lack of Humidity
As mentioned above, this plant grows well in humidity. However, this lovely houseplant is often abused in heated or air-conditioned, dry indoor spaces, especially when heaters constantly run in winter.
The Fix: To boost humidity around your Christmas cactus, just follow these cues to boost humidity around it, and it will be fine.
If you liked this, you’ll love these unusual tricks for growing a big, bold, bloom-filled Christmas cactus. Do let us know how it goes in the comments below!
