Sad Looking Christmas Cactus - Ask Extension
My wife took a clipping from her grandmother's Christmas Cactus a long time ago, and while it has survived, it has never looked very healthy. It looks...
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Sad Looking Christmas Cactus #735588
Asked December 21, 2020, 1:34 PM EST
My wife took a clipping from her grandmother's Christmas Cactus a long time ago, and while it has survived, it has never looked very healthy. It looks rather pitiful, in fact, and rarely blooms. Any suggestions for reviving this plant, and helping it thrive? I'd like to be able to tell you what we used for soil, but I don't recall if we used general potting soil, or one specifically for succulents. Any help would be appreciated.
El Paso County Colorado
Expert Response
Hello
Your Christmas Cactus appears to have limp and somewhat wrinkled stem segments. That indicates a watering problem. It can simply be under-watered. However I think it is more likely it is either over-watered or in soil which does not drain well. When the roots of a succulent plant are subject to prolonged wet soil they are very subject to root rot. This is a fungal condition brought on by the soggy conditions.
I would start by gently removing the plant from the pot and examining the roots. If they are soggy, and rotting clean what you can and try re-potting in a well draining soil. It probably does not require a special cactus or succulent soil but make sure there is plenty of perlite or coarse sand to promote quick drainage through the soil.
If there has been root damage, you may want to move the plant to a smaller pot if the roots are much smaller than the pot you currently have it in. If you reuse the pot, clean it well and rinse with a 10% liquid bleach solution before replanting in that pot. Water it well, then do not water again until the soil is dry. Always make sure you drain any water left in the saucer. Here is a link to a fact sheet which will provide some general care information. https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/thanksgiving-christmas-cacti/.
Thanks so much! We'll give your recommendations a try!
I transplanted the Christmas Cactus into a brand new, smaller, clay pot, today, just in case it had root rot. And, I used cactus/succulent potting soil that had a good portion of perlite mixed in.
Now, I have another question. The potting soil was moist (I used a new, unopened bag), so I didn't water the plant. Should I give it a small amount of water to give it a start, or is the moisture in the potting soil enough for now?
Now, I have another question. The potting soil was moist (I used a new, unopened bag), so I didn't water the plant. Should I give it a small amount of water to give it a start, or is the moisture in the potting soil enough for now?
I would give it a little extra moisture. Then try to only water when the soil is dry to touch. The really important thing here is drainage. After you water, wait a few minutes then empty the saucer so the plant is never sitting in water. I really hope this plant perks up.
