Thanksgiving cactus plants ( genus Schlumbergera truncata )   are perfect for adding color to your homethis holiday time of year . However , with the right instructions , growing these plants can be wanton , even if you keep them inside your home or apartment .

as luck would have it , there are many thing you could do to ensure that your Thanksgiving cactus plant thrives and stay put healthy . Learn everything you take to know about spring up and caring for a Thanksgiving cactus plant .

What Is a Thanksgiving Cactus?

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Thanksgiving cactus originate natively in Brazil ’s wild or rocky gardens . Though this cactus is know mainly as an indoor plant , in its natural environment , they typically live in tree or rocks . They can endure in drying agent conditions well than other cacti , but if left dry for too long , they will begin to droop .

These plants bloom white , pinkish , or yellow flowers . They are incredibly middle - catching and , therefore , a popular holiday giving detail .

An image of a colorful tire fence

But wait — not only are they beautiful to look at , but they also have significant health welfare . Unlike other plants , a Thanksgiving cactus gives out oxygen during the dark and releases CO2 during the day . By unblock O during the dark , your sleep calibre will improve , leading to increased productivity and an overall good humour .

How to Grow and Take Care of Them

Thanksgiving Day cacti are theperfect houseplants for peoplewho do n’t have a unripened thumb . They ’re also cracking if you want to give someone the natural endowment of horticulture , but they experience too far aside . Here ’s how you may get one in your home :

1) Get A Suitable Pot

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Put your Thanksgiving cactus in an attractive wad withgood soil , room for growth , and a sound drain system to eliminate all the supernumerary water .

Good drainage is crucial for your Thanksgiving cactus , so be mindful of your potting filth . Also , do n’t eat into if they seem snug in their pots . These succulentsprefer to be slightly theme bound .

Elephant ears with stunning large foliage

You should transplant your Thanksgiving cactus into a bigger pot every other year . The plant does best when it ’s slimly confine and provided with skillful drainage .

Keep your plant in a sunny window as the blooms train , and keep it equally moist . In the summertime , put the pot on the terrace where it will have some shade during midday hour .

2) Place Your Cactus Where It Gets Filtered Light

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rate the cactus out of lineal sunlightbut somewhere where it will get enough light all daytime . Too much verbatim sunlight can decolourize the leafage of this beautiful plant .

Additionally , Thanksgiving cacti will usually blossom near their namesake holiday if grown under normal night - distance weather . For your Thanksgiving cactus to blossom , it take at least 13 hour of no luminousness , so adjust its position accordingly .

Red bleeding heart flowers

Pro Tip : To have their jazzy flower displayed for the vacation , put the plant in a dark elbow room the night before . This way , number aurora , those petals will be ready to amaze your Edgar Guest .

3) Water Your Thanksgiving Cactus

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water system only when the soil feels dry , typically every two to three weeks , though the time between watering will depend on the environment around your cactus . When the top 2 inches of the stain look dry , it is time to piss . you’re able to use your fingers to check . Your cactus will probably need more body of water during its blooming time of year .

When watering , ensure not to leave piss in the saucer underneath ; instead , utilize a paper towel to absorb excess moisture . Leaving excess urine on the root can make the root to rot , shortening the flora ’s lifespan .

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4) Fertilize Your Plant

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fertilise monthly using organic fertilizer specifically made for succulent . To promote optimal flower conditions , you must fertilize your plant from mid - leap to late fall .

Temperature and Humidity

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Keep thetemperaturebetween 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the evenings and 60 to 65 degree Fahrenheit during the good afternoon . This succulent prefers high-pitched humidness , making the kitchen and bathroom ideal for these beautiful plants .

How to Identify Christmas Cactus and Thanksgiving Cactus

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Look at the above picture and estimate which one it is . It ’s easy to confound Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti because they ’re very similar . The one above is aChristmas cactus .

Thanksgiving cacti possess a base segment like an accordion , with saw - tooth serrations on the margins . The Christmas cactus is more rounded and lacks these teeth . However , both Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti photosynthesize inside their green phylloclades ( their flat stem resemble leaves ) .

Blooming Thanksgiving Cactus. Large flowering cactus with pink and white flowers.

Another way to tell the difference of opinion between these two cactus species is their pollen . The anthers ( the part of the stamen containing pollen ) on Thanksgiving flowers have yellow filaments ; Christmas flora ' pollen is purplish brown and covered with short hairs .

If you have one at home and desire to compute out which one it is , then delicately trace the bound of a stem section with your finger . The edges of Thanksgiving cacti   ( genus Schlumbergera truncata )   end in sharp degree that palpate jagged or serrated . If you find these stop , it ’s a Thanksgiving cactus . However , if the edges are softly curved like scallops , it ’s a Christmas Cactus   ( Schlumbergera bridgestii ) .

Common Problems

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A Thanksgiving cactus is a scummy - maintenance flora that you could well take care of within your flat or mansion . However , you should know a few things so you do n’t end up with a utter plant .

Thanksgiving cacti are sore to overwatering and must be placed in a pot with near drain . One affair that can bump whenoverwatering is ascendent rot , which could lead to your plant ’s death .

Person Holding Brown Plastic Pot

Another way that this plant life may not blossom is by get too much sun . Make certain to put it in the shade during the summer months because this will give it enough dappled ignitor , but more heat picture is postulate .

louse and spider like aphid , mealy bug , and red spider mites are the biggest enemies of a Thanksgiving cactus . They chiefly crawl on the leafage , hide in the roots , or cover the surface of your works ; They resemble cotton plant . you could deflect this military issue by using a estimable pesticide .

Get Ready for an Explosion of Color

Even if you are n’t into gardening , you ’ve in all probability seen or heard of Thanksgiving cactus plants around Thanksgiving meter . A Thanksgiving cactus ready yourhome reckon colorful and welcoming during the holiday season . This bright little succulent requires minimal attention , which means it ’s comfortable to keep up with even if you do n’t have much time to spend on plant aid . These are just some grounds people like growing and care for their Thanksgiving cactus .

grunge grain texture blurred unfocused Schlumbergera truncata, Thanksgiving or Crab cactus plant growing new leaves

Kettle for watering plants

Fertilizer for plants

Pink flowered thanksgiving cactus

Bended flowers of cactus

Red flowers and green leaves of Thanksgiving Cactus ‘Thor Carmen’