Temperature
60–75°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
Christmas cactus
Schlumbergera truncata
Christmas cactus wants bright indirect light and water every 7 to 14 days, once the top inch is dry. Non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Light
Bright indirect
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
An east window, or three feet back from a south one. It is a forest cactus, not a desert one, and scorches in direct sun.
Water
Every 7–14 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when the top inch is dry, not on a schedule.
Humidity
40% and up
Wants 60%. Struggles in dry winter air.
Difficulty
Easy
Scores 2 of 5: Scores 2 of 5: easy year round, but it only sets buds after about six weeks of long, uninterrupted nights, which a lamp in the same room will prevent.
Habit
Trailing
Grows to 6–18 inches. No support needed.
Non-toxic to cats and dogs
Eating a large amount of any plant can still cause mild stomach upset.
Detail for cats → Detail for dogs →
What each authority says
- ASPCA — entry for a different species in this genus: Schlumbergera bridgesii
- Non-toxic to cats and dogs
- NC State Extension
- Entry exists and records no poison data.
Light
Bright indirect light. An east window, or three feet back from a south one. It is a forest cactus, not a desert one, and scorches in direct sun.
Water
Every 7 to 14 days in a 6-inch pot, when the top inch is dry.
Treat the interval as a starting point and the test as the actual instruction. Pot size, light level and season all move the number.
| Method | soak and dry |
|---|---|
| Test before watering | the top inch is dry |
Soil and potting
Two parts potting soil, one part perlite, one part fine orchid bark.
Repot roughly every 3 years, or when roots come through the drainage holes and water runs straight through without absorbing.
Common problems
Ranked by how often each turns out to be the cause for this species. Each links to a diagnosis page with the causes ranked for this species.
Pest and disease guidance for this species consulted at the Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, checked 2026-09-11.
Pests
Recorded for this species. Each links to identification and treatment.
- Mealybugs this week
- Fungus gnats monitor
Propagation
Stem cutting in soil. Roots in 14 to 28 days.
A cutting without a node will not root. It may stay green in water for months and never produce a single root, because it has no growth point.
| Preferred method | stem cutting |
|---|---|
| Medium | soil |
| Time to root | 14–28 days |
| Node required | Yes |
| Best season | Spring and summer |
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control — Schlumbergera bridgesii Checked 2026-09-11.
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Schlumbergera truncata (consulted; entry exists and records no poison data.) Checked 2026-09-11.
- Wikidata entity Q312047 — taxonomy and entity identity.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Schlumbergera truncata Accepted name; family Cactaceae. Checked 2026-09-11.
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Schlumbergera truncata Pest and disease guidance. Checked 2026-09-11.
- Photograph: JennTM, Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA 4.0.
Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-02
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a horticulturist
or a veterinarian. Every fact above is drawn from the sources listed, and
toxicity severity is reported only where one of them stated it.
How this is sourced.
Last updated 2026-09-02