This Christmas cactus belonged to my grandmother, who got it from her mother, and from her mother before her. All my life growing up, she said that when she was gone, it would be mine. It holds such significance to our family and I’m afraid it’ll die, but I have no idea what I’m doing with it, or how I can save it.
After she passed, it’s been in my grandpa’s care mostly because I didn’t have a space at my own home where it’d be safe, and because I’ve feared that I would be the one to kill it.
I’ve gradually noticed over time that it looks sadder and sadder. Every once in a while it’ll perk up, but I’m not sure what my grandpa had done to make it happier (and he isn’t so sure, either lol).
When I just asked him, he said he waters it every three weeks since it’s a cactus, but if I’m not mistaken, I think it’s currently looking a little dehydrated and may need to be watered more frequently, so I watered it.
He also said the last time it had been repotted was about 50 years ago.
My grandma passed away 5 years ago, and before then, her Christmas cactus was so happy and healthy looking. I wish I had had the ability to ask her more about its care, but her sickness took her really quickly. We were very close, and I can’t bear the thought of losing this cactus which she was so, so proud of.
I’m open to any insight or words of plant wisdom on how I can make my grandma’s plant happy again, covering the following:
- general Christmas Cactus care
- how often to water
- when to know if a plant needs to be repotted
- how to repot a plant
- how to prevent root rot or know if a plant has root rot
Thanks in advance ❤️
by thickenchighs_
43 Comments
Theyre actually succulents.. and id say it looks dehydrated
Are you watering it heavily? When you water indoor plants you want to do a deep soak til water exits the pot, otherwise light watering results in soil quality depletion and roots dying off since they’re not getting water (this looks to be the case as this one looks very thirsty). They need bright light so to be in front of a nice window, but will tolerate lesser light and grow much slower and smaller leaves (so not ideal). Bright light will also get you blooms at the end of the year. It may be a good idea to repot it since it’s been so long and you aren’t sure what the roots look like after the inconsistent care. Before repotting, make sure the soil isn’t bone dry since the roots will be more delicate if it is, and assess the root mass. If the roots have completely circled this existing pot, then place it into a pot about 2-3” wider and add fresh succulent soil after gently loosening the outside of the root ball (do not detangle all of the roots, you want to keep some old soil in there so it has its usual microbes and such).
You’ll know this plant has root rot when you get soft mushy leaves. Your leaves, however, look shriveled and thirsty. It’ll take a few solid waterings for them to plump up again so just be patient. Water when the soil is nearly fully dry, and this timing depends solely on the amount of light and the soil quality.
It’s lovely, but it needs water. Christmas cactuses aren’t actually cactuses, they need more water. Water when the soil is dry, I think in the summer I water mine (that is a lot smaller than yours) maybe every 2 weeks. Winter it can go longer.
Also light. I popped mine under a grow light one summer to see what kind of growth I would get and boy did it grow. It won’t flower that way though, it needs a change in temp to flower. If you put it in front of a window in the fall, you’ll get flowers.
Good luck, it’s amazing!
Edit: I’m totally wrong, they are cacti.
Just general plant care:
Check if the soil is dry.
Try to give it water. If it looks better after about a day, you’re probably good.
If it doesn’t look better, take the plant out of it’s pot, look at the roots. If they are mushy and/or smell bad, you’ve got root rot.
Cut the rotten roots with a clean pair of scissors, rinse the remaining ones with water.
Repot into bigger/smaller pot according to need. Since that’s a cactus/succulent, I imagine it’ll need very well draining soil, you can probably fins a succulent potting mix easily, or look up how to make one yourself if you’re interested.
For the specific needs of your plant, google it. There are so many resources out there. I’d look at multiple resources as sometimes they will have conflicting info.
Good luck!
In addition to watering regularly, these guys really appreciate a good misting every now and then. Good luck!
I’d definitely be doing some propagation on it as well! Having baby clones of heirloom plants takes some pressure off! I have about 5 pots of my Mom’s pothos and at least that many of my Grandmother/Mom’s Christmas cactus! Originals are doing well because there is no pressure! 🫣🤣🤣🤣
Before doing any of the other things, I’d do this: put it under the shower (lukewarm water) to wash off all the leaves and really soak the soil deeply. If you have a big enough bucket you could also fully submerge it for an hour or to,. Beginner plant parents (and even intermediate ones like me) often water too shallowly. You’ll hear people say you want the water to run out the bottom of the pot, but sometimes the water just goes down the insides of the pot and doesn’t penetrate the middle. That’s very likely with yours since it’s probably a solid mass of roots by now. So submerging is your best bet. I also recently invested in a $7 water meter from Lowe’s and it was well worth it because it has long probes that can go to the bottom of a large pot where I can’t stick my finger. Christmas/Thanksgiving cacti were the first plants I ever was successful with and I have several that are at least a decade old – nothing like your beautiful and special family heirloom, but I do love them! And come to think of it, the one sitting next to my desk where I am now needs a shower!
Very underwatered. They love moisture and are not really like a cactus. They are a succulents but love water.
Never give up on plant life .I’ve brought back plants that looked much worse.
Please post an update photo after you take measures to nurse it back to health! Good luck 🫂
Everyone else has great info on care! I just have a fun fact: they’re native to Brazil and they grow on trees (like orchids). Well, I guess that was two fun facts. Anyway, hopefully that helps you understand the care tips a bit better!
I’d give it a repot and a shower, fully drenching it, then put it somewhere and let it come back. This is absolutely doable, OP. 🙂
Every couple of months, I put a 1/4 teaspoon of Epsom salt in a liter of water and use that for a couple of waterings. It makes my Thanksgiving Cactus very happy.
Realize that the origin of these plants pretty much grow on rocky outcroppings near waterfalls… they’re epiphytic in nature. This is NOT a desert cactus.
Definitely needs water and recommend the shower or soaking in bucket/tubfor at least 30 minutes. Should perk up within a day or two.
If you haven’t done anything with it, at least get some fresh soil in it. Get it out of the pot it’s in. If it’s heavily root bound (more roots than soil), you need to get a slightly bigger pot for it too.
Fun fact: you can break off some of the branches at nodes and pot them so that about 1/3 the leaf is in the soil, and they will propagate fairly easily. You could easily get a few small pots and start the propagation and in a few months you’ll have gifts for other family members or even smaller parts for other parts of your home.
Take it into the shower and give it a really good long rinse. Also top off the dirt with some new indoor potting soil like promix or something for indoor plants. It will perk right up
This looks to me like root rot from OVER watering. Tweak the trunks and see if they’re loose. I’ve killed some of my old ones this way, and so now I’m switching to clear pots that I can pop out and bottom water. They really hate wet soil around the stem. I’m also adding more orchid bark into the potting mix as they like airy soil.
Before it does, pull a few cuttings off and start a new one.
And soak that thing for a whole day. It’ll look WAY better.
you can take some leaves and make new starts
Watering schedule will always change based on temperature, light, windows, soil quality, etc. Even the same plant can change over months or at a new house.
It’s VERY thirsty. Give it a BIG drink. This type of Cactus does not like to go dry… Not like standard Cacti.
I was underwatering my baby Christmas cactus that I got from my grandma too! I started watering it better like Reddit suggested and it’s growing like crazy now 😁 Good luck!
I’ve killed so many plants that I’ve started propagating into an extra pot so that if I do something dumb and kill one pot then I hopefully still have another pot that I didn’t mess up. And then when/if it’s healthy I’ll prop and have two plants again 😅
I have a Thanksgiving cactus that is watered weekly (not strictly) and misted weekly. It’s grown two lengths since I started this routine. Small pot that lives in an east window but right now she’s under grow lights because it’s just too hot in my apartment to keep the curtains open.
I’m great at killing plants and I’m not sure how to save this one, but hoping I can send some positivity your way!! My family also had a Christmas cactus that died but right before it died, my dad took a small leaf to propagate and it was very successful. That small leaf grew into a plant and now he’s trying to propagate more leaves from it. Essentially he kept it alive with that one leaf! Maybe it is worth a shot for you too?
Christmas cactuses are a tropical cactus, so they need more water and love a humid environment. Keep it out of direct sunlight, as well, so the leaves don’t turn red.
I made the mistake of thinking “it’s a cactus and cactuses like to be dry and in the sun” mistake several years ago. Luckily, they are also hardy as hell. I brought mine in from outside and started watering it weekly and it looks amazing. I also like to give it a mist of water from time to time.
When was it repotted last, and how often do you water it? Mine is on our back porch in a bright but warm location, and I water it twice a week. It’s done very well for three years now.
https://preview.redd.it/6c53yr08gs8f1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4751bbfa6ff38e2b0b82fb65357b38f371d78afe
They’re cacti, but they’re tropical cacti!
I water mine once a week to keep it perky and about once every month (six weeks in the winter) I put it in the shower and give it a good hose down with my detachable shower head to give it a good drink and clean the dust off the fronds.
Really well draining soil is key.
🙏Pray For The Family Tree🙏
Water it a little at a time for a couple days so you don’t shock the hell out of it. Then, soak it. And I mean, put it in a bathtub or a big bucket of water and soak it for 24+ hours. Take it out, let it dry a bit in a very sunny but not too warm place for 3-4 days, and then soak it again. Do that rotation for a couple weeks. Once it has started to look a little less desperate (a month, ish?), keep doing this, but add fertilizer to the water. Keep doing this another month or so. Then transplant it, into a bigger pot, with better soil. Wash all the old dirt off you can get without mussing up the roots too much. Some of the leaves are going to fall off. It’s okay. You’ve got this! Use succulent soil, and give it a bright window or patio with a grow lamp. It likes long “days” (periods of light) for making leaves and “stems” and at least 10+ hours of darkness a day for making flowers. I wouldn’t let it flower for the first ~6 months, flowering takes a lot of energy.
Mine looked like that less than a year ago, and now it’s taking over my office and has plans to invade Mars. It is 60+ years old, Mom said she remembers Grandma getting it when she was small. Grandma had lost the ability to care for it and we all thought it was a goner, but I didn’t take no for an answer and finally it bent to my will 😂
Do keep in mind though, their lifespan is about 50-100 years, and this one is not in the best shape. All of those stringy bits between leaves are the plant making roots desperately trying to find water. You might be able to root some of those!
My condolences at the loss of your grandmother. I lost my grandma recently as well and completely understand wanting to keep alive something from her. It feels extra precious.
The plant looks very low in the pot which leads me to think it has lost a lot of the original soil it was likely given when it was first put in this pot. So it may actually not even be necessary for you to get a bigger pot. It may be happy just being given more soil. To do this though I would gently and carefully take it out of the pot, so that you can look at whether the roots look crowded or not. If the whole thing seems crammed and like your pot isn’t big enough for it, then you could size up.
But most succulents and cacti are actually pretty resilient to being a bit crammed, so I think for sure it will be happier if you just take it out of the pot, put a small layer of rocks in the bottom to reduce amount of soil being lost during watering, and then put your cactus/succulent soil on top of the rocks, and then the plant on top of that, with more soil added to the top. There should only be one or two inches of depth between the rim of the pot and the top layer of soil.
Give her a good heavy watering after repotting, and then only water when soil is dry. I usually water my succulents once a week. You could start with that and then if it looks like it’s unhappy after a few weeks of that, you could try twice a week (spaced out). I would not water any more frequently than that.
I agree that taking some cuttings to plant separately just in case is a good idea, but I am pretty confident you can save this big girl! She’s beautiful and just needs some TLC!
As others mentioned, the pot draining well is important, but considering it survived for 50 years in that pot I’d guess the pot has good drainage. 😉
My Christmas cactus was my mom’s. 2 generations now that my mom has passed. There is a dish underneath with small pebbles that I water when the rocks are dried and the soil is dry. I don’t water the pebbles if they’re still wet.
https://preview.redd.it/nqxsidykns8f1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d0b2b64ba2e05d0f1dea9170d04fafee54d1421e
Oh no! If worse comes to worse just snip off what’s good stick it in a new pot of soil and it’ll grow again. I had to do that with my late moms that was over 20 years old that I almost killed!
Bottom watering and keeping a bowl of rocks and water underneath is helped stop me from killing mine. I’m on #3 and this one is doing just fine
Soak it in water overnight
it needs some water and more tlc , maybe a lil repot and new soil as well!! there’s still hope for this plant :))
That’s a tremendous amount of pressure, so here’s my advice:
Read up on propagating them, and you can take a couple small pieces and start a brand new one. First, because that would be a lovely thing to do regardless, but also so you have a backup (or several) to help make sure the plant lives on, just possibly in a whole new plant.
If you wind up not being able to save the original plant or any offspring, take some bits of the plant and bury it in the soil of a new, easier for you to care for plant, with which you start a brand new tradition, and the old plant feeds the new plant by breaking down in the soil.
Drown that b!tch! It needs water. At this point you need to absolutely drench it and let it soak for a bit. It will perk back up. After that you need to be more on top of watering. I’ve found it’s best to soak them once the newest growth feels less firm and more squishy. They are very hardy and can handle abuse, but only so much and only so many times.
Good news: Succulents are pretty hardy. Have some hope!
I found this video helpful: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6LGXH8MdLw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6LGXH8MdLw)
Step 1) Propagate! Propogate several! These plants live awhile, though if anything happens, propogating several ensures you continue its memory. Propogating is also quite easy.
Step 2) Buy a transplant shock preventer. Read the directions multiple times.
Step 3) Buy a grower pot with amazing drainage. Maybe about 1-2′ larger than it’s current size, not too crazy. You’ll keep it in this pot for soaking.
Step 4) Buy a good quality succulent soil. When you go to transplant it, you’ll want to keep as much of it’s original soil as possible when transplanting. When you’ve used up that soil, you’ll top up with this good quality succulent soil.
Step 5) Repot. The reason we repot is if the plant is too rootbound, it’s not going to get the nutrients & water it needs. You could have the perfect climate, watering schedule, etc., and it won’t help as much. This also allows you to assess the roots. Ensure you’re using the transplant shock preventer according to instructions. Some recommend usage when repotting, others say to wait until after repot.
Step 6) Water. A good glug. Edit to add: This will also depend on the roots. If the roots are still wet, then be cautious with watering. Ensure you to also remove mushy/rotten roots, as best able.
Step 7) Wait. Assess. Less is more.
Step 8) Water again when dry. Succulents like to dry between waterings, but not dry out significantly like cactus. When you water, you give them a solid glug. When I know it’s going to be super hot the next day, I drench mine. That said, I also live in a very dry climate.
I don’t care if it’s a true cacti like everyone else is debating about lol, but it needs water. Soak the soil but don’t leave standing water, and try to use some fertilizer.
I feel the soil first but water mine about once a week. It’s right in front of a window that gets indirect evening light. It also gets a good breeze as it’s near an air vent, not ideal but unavoidable. It’s the happiest “cactus” I’ve ever had, I usually kill these things practically on sight. I do also give it some miracle gro for indoor plants once in a blue moon, I’ve done it twice since I got it in February. Good luck!
Christmas ‘cactus’ is a misnomer they need regular watering
christmas cactus are a type of epiphyllum which grow in the tropics. I got an orchid cactus, also an epiphyllum, from my grandma that she had been growing for like 30+ years!! when i inherited it, it definitely struggled cuz it was a big change of environment after it had been in the same place for so long so i ended up pruning it way back and propagating the cuttings and then repotted it. they like bright indirect light, especially morning light so an east or south facing window works well. water wise they like to be watered thru then dried out before the next watering. put a finger in and if it’s dry water if its moist then hold off.
they also thrive under a covered patio in the summer with weekly watering. if u put it out in the summer and bring it in before the temp drops below 50 degrees it will stress them and they will push out flower buds!! good luck!