The striking red, pink or white flowers of the Christmas Cactus make it an obvious candidate for holiday houseplant blooms each winter.
Imagine the consternation, though, when most of the flower buds fall off of a newly purchased plant!
Most of the time, the problem is caused by heat or dryness in the home. Christmas Cactus do best in a cool, sunny room. They also appreciate being misted once each day to keep the humidity high around the leaves.
Water the plants only when a finger thrust into the soil comes up dry. Overwatering can lead to root rot.
Christmas Cactus should be lightly fertilized in winter. They need more nutrients when spring comes and they are hung back outdoors.
It is easy to root Christmas Cactus. Simply break off a short length of branch and insert it into moist sand or potting soil. Within a few months, the section will root and send up new leaves.