How to Grow and Care for Rhipsalis (False Christmas Cactus): Methods and Precautions

Rhipsalis (false Christmas cactus) is a flowering ornamental plant with very beautiful blooms, and many people like to keep a pot at home, so what are the growing methods for Rhipsalis?

1. Pot and soil requirements

Rhipsalis can be grown using leaf mold soil plus peat soil and river sand. When repotting, fill the lower part with some broken tile pieces to improve air permeability and drainage. If growing it in a hanging basket, moss can be used as the substrate.

2. Temperature requirements

Rhipsalis likes warmth, and the suitable growing temperature is 15°C-25°C. It is not cold-tolerant, and the overwintering temperature should not be lower than 5°C; it is also not tolerant of high temperatures, and the plant enters a dormant state when temperatures are high. Flower bud formation is related to sunlight and temperature: under 10°C and short-day conditions, flower buds can form in about 50 days; above 15°C, flower bud formation is inhibited; above 20°C, it is difficult for flower buds to form.

3. Light requirements

Rhipsalis likes sufficient scattered light and avoids strong direct sunlight. When light is intense in summer and autumn, pay attention to shading and ventilation; in winter, it needs sufficient sunlight.

4. Watering requirements

Rhipsalis is not drought-tolerant, and the potting soil should be kept moist during the growing period. However, avoid water accumulation in the pot and avoid excessive rainwater. After the flowering period ends, there is a 2-3 week dormant period, during which watering should be controlled and the potting soil kept only slightly moist.

During the dormant period in the high temperatures of summer and autumn, the plant's absorption capacity declines. If poorly managed, a large number of stem segments may fall off, or even the root system may rot and the plant may die. Rain should be prevented, and watering should be restricted. Watering should also be controlled in winter.

5. Fertilization requirements

When the Rhipsalis plant is growing in spring and autumn, apply a light fertilizer once a month. It is best to “apply light fertilizer frequently.” During the high temperatures of summer and autumn and the low temperatures of winter, fertilization should be stopped.

6. Pruning

During the dormant period after flowering, the plant should be pruned once, cutting off weak-growing and overly dense branches and segments, so as to promote the new shoots growing in spring to grow thick and strong and to bloom more in the future. Old plants cultivated for 2-3 years begin to decline in growth vigor and need to be propagated again for renewal.

7. Pest and disease control

The main diseases of Rhipsalis are leaf spot disease and wilt disease, which can be treated by spraying with a 50% carbendazim solution. The pest affecting Rhipsalis is the red spider mite, which can be killed by spraying with a 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate solution.

Overall, Rhipsalis is still quite easy to grow. As long as you choose fertile sandy loam soil, keep the temperature at 15-25 degrees, provide scattered light every day, and apply fertilizer and water appropriately, it can grow healthily.