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How do I care for my Christmas Cactus after the flowers Die??

I was given a beautiful Christmas cactus as a present. Now all the flowers have died. How do I take care of my Christmas Cactus so it will get flowers again next year? Thanks for any info you can share about this. Molly

Hi Molly,

Dark pink flowers on Christmas Cactus plant

Christmas Cactus in Bloom

Here are some simple care tips for your Christmas Cactus now the it’s finished flowering.

Pruning a Christmas Cactus helps it become a full bushy plant and produce more flowers next holiday season. The best time to prune a Christmas Cactus is about 4-6 weeks after it has finished blooming. During the first 30 days or so keep the soil drier than usual. You should never prune a Christmas Cactus after the month of May. A Christmas Cactus is easily propagated in the spring using these stem tip cuttings. Use at least three jointed segments from a healthy stem in each small pot. Allow the stem cuttings to dry out for a few hours before planting them to avoid stem rot.

Don’t rush to move your Christmas Cactus to a larger pot. Christmas Cactus plants grow better and bloom more when they are slightly root-bound in smaller pots. When your Christmas Cactus needs to be re-potted, usually only every few years, wait until it has finished flowering in the spring. Never re-pot a Christmas Cactus when it is in bloom.

Christmas Cactus are wonderful plants; they often live for 50 years or more!