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Cacti & Succulents

Christmas Cactus buds not opening

13 years ago

Hello...I have a lovely Christmas Cactus that has flowered beautifully once already....It now has a new bunch of buds but these are just sitting there....Not getting any bigger and not opening....My plant is in a south window that has a semi-sheer curtain....I am not over-watering and do mist almost everyday (Last year all the buds fell off since I was too lazy to mist). Is there anything I can do to encourage these new buds to open? In the past this plant has flowered into March.

Thanks!

Joyce

Featured Answer

Ron1017

13 years ago

I've never misted Christmas cactus in over 40 years, but I suppose it doesn't hurt to mist them. I do know that if the plant is in bud and it's location is changed or a big change in temperature they will drop their buds. Mine are always kept in a cooler part of the house and when in bud are never moved.
Ron

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Comments (7)

greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
13 years ago
I don't mist, either. I have a 32 year-old Christmas Cactus that has never been misted.
Make sure to keep the plant hydrated through the blooming period. After the bloom is when you
begin to cut back on water, while it recuperates for about a month.

Josh
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From what I've observed from my 10 or so Thanksgiving cactus plants, if you move them or expose them to a temperature change at a certain point in bud development, those particular buds will drop. For instance, all of my TC are outside for the summer/early fall. This September, we had a cold snap that, I believe, caused early bud development. I started getting buds before I moved them inside for the winter. The move inside, of course, will result in a temperature change. The buds that were about 3/4 developed continued on to flower normally once the plants were brought inside. The buds that had just started to develop dropped off the plant. My largest TC was in full bloom around Halloween this year. However, I've found that on the branches where there was bud drop, more buds are now currently forming. I think the key is to not change position of the plant while the buds are in early development to avoid bud drop. Of course, that's not always possible because the plant may need to be moved indoors due to freezing temps.
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norma_2006
13 years ago
Some flower the second time, wait longer, do not push the panic button yet. Norma
Linda Marie
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
My cactus plant has lots of bulbs on it.how long does it take to open? I can't wait for them to open.its the first time it's bloomed.thank you for feedback.
greenclaws UK, Zone 8a
7 years ago
Hello Linda, best to start a thread of your own if you want good replies as this thread is over 6 yrs old! Ppl don't always bother to reply to such old threads. Also, we need to know exactly what you are referring to as bulbs don't grow into flowers! Do you means buds I guess so!

Take a pic and upload it so we can see your plant, it helps. Also go tour your profile and add some of your location info like we try to do, that's always useful.

You don't say if it is a Christmas cactus, I'm guessing not as they aren't often seen, they get mistaken for other types of holiday cactus, plus it's the wrong time of year for a CC to be flowering! We will look out for your new thread..........
nomen_nudum
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Also a suggestion is to look it up and sometimes a comment is said to start a separate thread I ponder why some suggest to look things up while others suggest start a different thread.

Yes to confirm the 'specific' type of cacti a pic or two would help. Concidering that budding/ flowering this time of the year is also possible on either a " true" CC ora type of TC some assitance may be needed even if found and asked about on a older " at least someone followed a suggestion and looked it up thread"
Ann Webster
6 years ago
mine had lots of blooms for Christmas but now it had bud that want open.

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