Christmas cactus buds falling off - Ask Extension
The Christmas cactus looks fine and healthy however when it started budding, it would produce 9-10 buds per stem. These buds would grow a bit before l...
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Christmas cactus buds falling off #537716
Asked December 11, 2018, 8:28 PM EST
The Christmas cactus looks fine and healthy however when it started budding, it would produce 9-10 buds per stem. These buds would grow a bit before looking deformed as seen in the photos and wilted. There seems to be damage to the buds and they would just fall off on their own. What could be causing this?
County Texas
Expert Response
Bud drop on many plants is usually a sign of stress. The plants are eliminating the luxury of blooms to concentrate resources on survival. For Christmas cactus they need a period of several weeks with longer dark periods than day periods (so nights or darkness for about 14 hours). This tells them it's time to bloom. Any sudden change in light (period or intensity) watering, placement etc. can also initiate bud drop. Be sure they are well drained and slightly pot-bound. The plant will likely recover and bloom again later on or next year.
Thank you for your response, I moved recently so that could have caused stress on the plant.
