Yep, Thanksgiving Cactus Is a Thing—Here’s How to Tell One From a Christmas Cactus

If you’re looking for a festive plant to bring cheer to your home this holiday season, the Christmas cactus and Thanksgiving cactus offer brilliant blooms and are low-maintenance. Telling the difference between these two varieties of plants in the Schlumbergera genus can be tricky but is essential so you know how to care for your plant and when to expect blooms.

Plant experts offer their insights to help you tell the difference between Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti and offer tips to help your plants thrive with brilliant seasonal blooms.

Identifying Characteristics 

One way to determine if a plant is a Christmas cactus versus a Thanksgiving cactus is to look at the shape of the plant. Christmas cacti have smooth, scalloped stems, while Thanksgiving cacti have pointed, pronounced stems. 

“Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti might look similar at first glance, but you’ll notice Thanksgiving cacti have these sharp, serrated edges on the leaves, almost like they’re cut with precision,” says Niwar Nasim, owner of Nasim Landscape in Puyallup, Washington. “The Christmas cactus has softer, rounded edges—a little less intense, you could say.”

Blooming Period 

Another difference between Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti is in their blooming periods. True to their names, Thanksgiving cactus plants bloom earlier in the season, in late fall. Christmas cacti bring bright blooms later, during the winter months. 

“Thanksgiving cacti tend to surprise you with their blooms around late November, kicking off the season, while Christmas cacti take their time, showing up closer to Christmas itself, sometimes even early January,” Nasim says.

Flower Characteristics 

Another way to identify a Christmas cactus versus a Thanksgiving cactus is by looking at the blooms. “Thanksgiving cacti produce horizontal blooms in different colors, whereas Christmas cacti have vertical, tubular flowers, usually in red or purplish-red,” says Kaustubh Deo, owner of Blooma Tree Experts in Seattle. Thanksgiving cacti blooms come in shades of white, pink, yellow, and orange. 

Care and Maintenance

Watering Needs

Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti need moderate moisture, requiring watering when the top inch or two of soil is dry. Water thoroughly, moistening the entire root ball.  

“Less is more here,” Nasim says. “Let the soil dry out between waterings. Think of it as respecting their boundaries!”

Light Requirements 

Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti grow best with bright, indirect sunlight. If your cactus is indoors, a window facing the north or east offers an ideal setup for indirect light. Too much direct sunlight can burn the leaves of the cacti.

Temperature and Humidity 

Both varieties of these festive holiday cacti grow best with consistently warm temperatures and some humidity, in keeping with their native habitat in Brazilian rainforests. If your plant is indoors in winter with dry heat, spray it with mist for some moisture. 

“A little humidity goes a long way,” Nasim says. “A light misting here and there can help, especially in dry spaces.”

Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti grow best in warm temperatures between 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Nasim. A little cooler temperatures at night can also help the cacti thrive, encouraging beautiful blooms. 

Growing Conditions 

Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus plants grow best in well-draining soil, which helps prevent root rot. A commercial cactus mix or regular soil with some added perlite can satisfy these holiday succulents. 

“These cacti do best in well-draining soil,” Nasim says. “I like to add a bit of sand or perlite to lighten things up; it gives the roots breathing room. Heavy soil traps water—something these cacti aren’t fans of. You want the soil to feel light and airy.”

Soil and Fertilization

In addition to needing well-draining soil, Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti thrive with acidic soil and balanced NPK fertilization. Fertilize your Christmas cactus each month until flower buds form, usually in late summer to early fall. After your Christmas cactus blooms, you can continue monthly fertilization. For Thanksgiving cactus, fertilize every two weeks in the spring, summer, and early fall.

Both cacti grow best in USDA gardening zones 10 through 12.

How to Encourage Blooming

“To encourage blooming, provide 12 to 13 hours of uninterrupted darkness each night for six weeks and reduce watering as the bloom period approaches,” Deo says.

Additionally, give your cactus cool nighttime air (between 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit) and make sure your cactus has plenty of bright, indirect sunlight during the daytime. 

“Once you see buds forming, try not to move them around—these plants can be sensitive to changes, and you don’t want to risk those blooms falling off,” Nasim says. “It’s all about giving them the right conditions and then letting them do their thing, undisturbed.”