Cactus Care: Sun, Water and Soil for Desert and Holiday Cacti

Most cacti want bright sun, a very well-drained mix and water only when they need it; the exception is the holiday cactus, which wants the opposite. Clemson says watering properly is the most important factor in growing cacti successfully. This guide covers the general rules for the desert-type cacti most people picture, and flags where the holiday cacti (Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter cactus) differ. Clemson says cacti vary tremendously in size, color, shape and flowering habit, and are mainly grown for their unusual shapes, colors and textures.

Origin

The Americas

Light (desert cacti)

Bright sun, several hours direct (Clemson)

Light (holiday cacti)

Bright, indirect (NC State, Illinois)

Soil

Very well drained; cactus or succulent mix

Water

Never stand in water; minimal in winter

Temperature

68–86°F, low humidity (Gymnocalycium)

Frost

Not frost tolerant

Two kinds of cactus

The first thing to find out is which kind you own. Clemson says arid-climate cacti need bright sunlight and a south or west window that gives several hours of direct sun each day. NC State and Illinois Extension say the holiday cacti prefer bright, indirect light, and NC State says the Easter cactus prefers high humidity, which you can raise with a humidifier, a saucer of rocks and water under the pot, or a bathroom. Applying one group’s rules to the other is how plants get scorched or stay sodden.

If yours flowers at Christmas, read our Christmas cactus guide. The rest of this page is for desert types.

Light

Give desert cacti the sunniest window you have. Clemson says south- or west-facing windows with several hours of direct sun a day are ideal. NC State says Gymnocalycium, the grafted moon cactus, prefers bright, indirect sunlight.

Water

Clemson says the plant must never be permitted to stand in water, and that in winter you water just enough to keep the plant from shriveling. Root and stem rots usually result from a soil mix that does not drain quickly or from overly frequent watering (Clemson). So the routine is simple: a pot with a drainage hole, a gritty mix and a deliberate pause between waterings.

Soil and pots

Clemson says the soil must be very well drained, and NC State recommends a cactus or succulent mix. Our succulent care guide gives a homemade recipe in the form of one part organic matter to two parts mineral, which works for cacti as well.

Temperature

NC State says Gymnocalycium is not frost tolerant and prefers 68 to 86°F with low humidity, and that outdoor plants should be brought indoors before temperatures drop below 50°F. Illinois Extension says holiday cacti outdoors for the summer should come in once fall nights reach the low 50s.

Feeding, pruning and propagating

NC State says to fertilize during the growing season only. Illinois Extension says holiday cacti should have a complete houseplant fertilizer from spring through late summer, once growth resumes. NC State says pruning is not generally required for Gymnocalycium. It adds that the plant can be propagated by seeds or grafting. For prickly pear and other pad cacti, see our cactus pruning guide.

Flowers and varieties

Cacti flower on their own schedule. For the holiday cacti, Illinois Extension gives Thanksgiving cactus from late November to late December, Christmas cactus from late December to March, and Easter cactus from March to May. It tells them apart by the leaf margins: Thanksgiving cacti, also called crab cacti, have pointed teeth along the outside margins of the leaves that look like hooks or claws. NC State says the Gymnocalycium cultivar ‘Hibotan’ is popular and typically has red stems, though they may be orange, dark purple, yellow or white.

Cacti in pots

NC State suggests grafted moon cacti for a desktop, an indoor houseplant or a container planting for the patio. Illinois Extension says holiday cacti can go outdoors in light shade in summer.

Common cactus problems

Where to go next

If you like cacti for a sunny bed, the prickly pear is the one with the widest hardiness range in our sources. The full set of desert plants is in our desert plants collection.