Easter Cactus Care Guide: How to Grow Easter Cactus

The Easter cactus (also called Whitsun cactus) is a succulent in the Cactaceae family. It blooms scarlet cactus flowers in the spring, and, with proper care, the plant can bloom a second time in the summer. The Easter cactus originated in Brazil’s subtropical rainforests, where the plant grows as an epiphytic cactus on the nutrients and moisture of other plants. The Easter cactus has fewer spines than most other cactus plants and can reach 25 inches in height.

Three flowering holiday cacti are named for the time of bloom and have different shaped leaves:

• Easter cactus: The leaves of the Easter cactus have rounded edges and soft bristles.
• Thanksgiving cactus: The Thanksgiving cactus has claw-like, serrated leaves.
• Christmas cactus: The projections on the leaves of the Christmas cactus are teardrop-shaped.

Easter cactus will flower beautifully in the spring and summer and remain strong and healthy in the winter and fall with proper care.

• Plant your Easter cactus in a well-draining soil mix. Plant the Easter cactus in a mixture of cactus and succulent potting soil that is well-draining and slightly acidic. Add peat moss and perlite to the soil to help the plant retain moisture.
• Repot your Easter cactus after it flowers. After its blooms are spent, repot your Easter cactus to keep it healthy. Repotting can also encourage growth if your cactus is not growing well.
• Fertilize your Easter cactus once or twice per month. Fertilize your Easter cactus with orchid fertilizer while it is flowering, but do not fertilize the plant at all during its resting months.
• Place the cactus in a location that receives indirect light. The Easter cactus does well with a good amount of shade. It is sensitive to the sun, and direct, bright light can burn the delicate pads on the cactus. When the plant is in dormancy, it should receive 14 to 16 hours of darkness each day before blooms begin to appear around March.
• Regulate the temperature of the growing environment. While desert cacti typically prefer heat, the Easter cactus does best in temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Water your Easter cactus sparingly. Overwatering an Easter cactus will negatively impact its health, potentially causing root rot and attracting mealybugs, so ensure you keep the soil moist but not soggy. If the soil feels dry to the touch or the stem begins to shrivel, the plant needs water.

Easter cactus plants generally propagate best as cuttings:

1. 1. Cut: Carefully cut off a healthy, fleshy leaf close to the stalk.
2. 2. Dry: Before planting the leaf, dry it out for several days until it hardens and forms a callus.
3. 3. Plant: Pot the leaf-cutting in a mixture of succulent and cactus potting soil.
4. 4. Water: Make sure that the soil is moist but not soggy.

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