When Does the Christmas Cactus Bloom? A Full Analysis of the Reasons It Won't Bloom
The Christmas cactus, also known as "icing on the cake," crab claw orchid, crab cactus and so on, is a common indoor green plant that is very beautiful when in bloom. So, when does the Christmas cactus bloom? What causes a Christmas cactus not to bloom?Let's find out together!
1. When does the Christmas cactus bloom?
The Christmas cactus generally begins blooming in September, and the flowering period can last 2-3 months. The optimum temperature for the Christmas cactus's growth period is 18-23 degrees, and the ideal flowering temperature is 10-15 degrees, not exceeding 25 degrees. Because the Christmas cactus blooms in winter, when temperatures are relatively low, it needs to be moved indoors and the room temperature kept at around 15 degrees so that the normal opening of the flowers is not affected. If the temperature is too low, the flowers will fail to open.
2. What causes a Christmas cactus not to bloom?
1. Light
Anyone who has grown a Christmas cactus knows that it has very low light requirements. It is not a full-sun plant. If it receives too much light every day, this will affect its blooming and make it difficult for it to form flower buds, so it will not bloom. This applies not only to sunlight from outside; even indoor lamplight shining on the Christmas cactus will have the same effect as daylight. Some growers like to place the Christmas cactus near a light at night, and this causes the Christmas cactus's differentiation to be affected because of the overly long light exposure, so the Christmas cactus cannot bloom. We should place it in an environment that has light during the day and darkness at night, so that it can bloom.
2. Temperature
The best temperature for the Christmas cactus's growth is between 18-25 degrees, and the flowering temperature is between 10-15 degrees, and it must not exceed 25 degrees; keeping it at 15 degrees is best. In winter, the temperature for the Christmas cactus's growth must be kept above 10 degrees for it to bloom normally; otherwise its flower buds will be frostbitten, and it is very easy to cause the phenomenon of blind buds in the flower buds. So when the temperature is too low, the Christmas cactus should be moved into a warm room, and moved out again after it blooms. After being moved out of the warm room, the temperature must also be observed at all times. Once the temperature does not meet the standard, the temperature must be adjusted immediately to prevent the flowers that open from being frostbitten.
3. Watering
The soil in the Christmas cactus's growing environment should be semi-shaded and on the moist side. In the rainy summer season, the Christmas cactus should be put back indoors to ensure its flower buds are not damaged by rain. Water it sparingly at ordinary times, because the Christmas cactus will not die from lack of water; it does have a certain tolerance, but waterlogging will cause it to die. So watering must be careful and delicate. During the flower bud period, be sure to mist it with water at intervals and keep the environment slightly moist.
4. Fertilizing
When choosing to fertilize it, you can choose phosphorus-potassium fertilizer and fertilizer containing a lot of nitrogen, such as horseshoe slices and ammonium sulfate, and a certain amount must be controlled. Many people may fail to control the amount when fertilizing, resulting in over-fertilizing and thus inhibiting its development, so that it cannot bloom. Therefore, nitrogen fertilizer should be applied a little less.
The above is the editor of Tuliu.com's summary of when the Christmas cactus blooms and the reasons a Christmas cactus does not bloom. Do you understand it all now?