For years, Carol Seminara joked that the fuchsia plant blooming in November was a Thanksgiving cactus. The name was closer to the truth than she realized. Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter cacti can all bring seasonal color indoors.
These plants really are cacti, members of the cactus family, Cactaceae. They are also succulents, storing water in their tissues. Their tropical origins help explain why their care differs from that of a desert cactus.
Know your holiday cactus
Thanksgiving cactus typically has pointed projections along its flattened stem segments. Christmas cactus has more rounded or scalloped edges. Easter cactus flowers in spring. Blooming time is a useful clue, although growing conditions can shift the schedule.
Light and water
Give a holiday cactus bright, indirect light and a pot that drains well. Check the growing mix before watering rather than relying on a fixed weekly schedule. Water when the upper portion has dried, allow excess water to drain, and empty standing water from the saucer. A plant left continually soggy can develop root problems.
Pruning and sharing
After flowering, light pruning can help shape the plant and encourage branching. Remove damaged segments and shorten stems at their joints. Healthy stem pieces can be used for propagation; allow the cut ends to dry before placing them in a suitable, well-drained growing mix.
Keep the plant’s conditions reasonably consistent while buds develop. With modest attention to light, drainage and seasonal growth, a holiday cactus can become a long-lived part of the household—and a source of plants to share.
Adapted from the article by Carol Seminara · From the February 2025 issue. Edited for accuracy.