MYTH:  ALL CACTUS, INCLUDING HOLIDAY CACTUS, THRIVE IN HOT TEMPERATURES

MYTH BUSTERS SERIES

THE FACTS

Many of the plants labelled as CHRISTMAS cactus are THANKSGIVING cactus, or of blended ancestry.

Christmas cactus and Thanksgiving cactus are closely related, so it’s easy to mistake them for the same plant. Both plants are in the genus Schlumbergera:

• Thanksgiving Cactus (Schlumbergera truncata)
• Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera bridgessii)
  - Not often grown commercially

Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti grow in the mountains of southeastern Brazil, so prefer things on the cool and shady side, unlike cacti found in desert habitats.

• Optimal temperature for Holiday cacti is 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit)        
• Large fluctuations in temperature can cause the cactus blooms to drop before they open
  - Place in a cool place – away from heaters and fireplaces – without drafts.

Holiday cacti are short day plants so to induce the plants into bloom they must have 12-24 hours of darkness and cool temperatures.

• The natural light cycles we get in winter will suffice.
• The plants enjoy bright light but not direct sunlight.

The plant’s soil should be dry to ONE INCH below the surface before watering and NOT fertilized or repotted while BLOOMING.

Source:
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/linn/news/it-thanksgiving-christmas-or-easter-cactus