The Difference Between Christmas Cactus and Thanksgiving Cactus—Plus, How to Care for Each

What better way to welcome the holiday season than with a cactus? There are a few different types of holiday cacti, two of the most popular being Christmas and Thanksgiving. Both cacti flower during their respective holidays, hence their names, and are beautiful to keep in your home for the season.

To learn the difference between these plants and their needs, we chatted with a plant expert. While both cacti look somewhat similar, each requires different care. Below are some important differences and how to keep each plant looking brilliant throughout the festive season.

Christmas Cactus vs. Thanksgiving Cactus

The Christmas cactus can be confused with the Thanksgiving cactus. This is because each flower around the same time of year and they look very similar, says Nastya Vasylchyshyna, a resident botany expert at Plantum. But there are ways to tell them apart.

Growth Habit

Perhaps the best way to tell Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti apart is by observing their growth habits. Thanksgiving cactus has an upright growth habit (pictured above) with the stems pointing up. However, Christmas cactus has stems that hang downward, almost drooping. 

Leaf Shape 

A major difference between these plants is their leaves. While a Thanksgiving cactus has serrated leaves, a Christmas cactus has more rounded ones, like the one pictured above. Another way to tell the difference is to look at the stems of the Christmas cactus. “They should be smooth, without pointy edges,” says Vasylchyshyna.

Color

Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti also have different flowers. “The Thanksgiving cactus blooms with red, pink, orange, or white flowers,” says Vasylchyshyna. But the Christmas cactus has purplish-red flowers.

Bloom Time 

Both plants bloom around a similar time of year, but with slight differences that can be hard to discern to the untrained eye. “Thanksgiving cactus usually starts blooming in November, but Christmas cactus starts blooming in late November before Christmas,” says Vasylchyshyna. 

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How to Care for Holiday Cacti

Like low-maintenance flowering succulents, both Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti are relatively simple to care for. Still, whether you have a Christmas cactus or a Thanksgiving one, you must pay attention to the amount of sunlight and water you give it.

Sunlight

Both plants require bright, diffused sunlight. “Place the pot on an east- or west-facing windowsill,” says Vasylchyshyna, adding that this ensures the right amount of sunlight reaches the plant. “If the plant is located next to a south-facing window, shield it from direct sunlight in the afternoon.”

Soil

Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti prefer slightly acidic, well-draining soil because it helps plants absorb and retain vital nutrients like nitrogen and potassium. Meanwhile, regular soil can retain too much moisture, causing the cacti to develop root rot.

Water

The Christmas cactus needs water once a week. “Unlike its desert cousins, the Christmas cactus comes from the tropics, which makes it more demanding in terms of watering than the rest of its family,” says Vasylchyshyna. “Give your Christmas cacti a drink once the soil dries by about an inch and then reduce watering when the plant stops flowering." 

Meanwhile, a Thanksgiving cactus requires less water and can get away with being watered once every other week. However, the soil should be consistently moist and never fully dry out. Instead, allow the top 2 inches of soil to dry between watering. “Moreover, it doesn’t tolerate water high in lime, so make sure to use warm, filtered water.”

Fertilizer 

From March to September, feed both types of cacti with a complex mineral fertilizer formulated for cacti once every two weeks for the best results. This will help the plants bloom in time for the holidays.

Temperature 

Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti require different temperatures depending on the time of year. They like warm temperatures (70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit) and high humidity during their growing season from April to September. You can boost humidity by placing a container filled with water near the pot.

Around mid-September, these plants need nighttime temperatures between 55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit to encourage blooming. “Without a proper rest period, your plant can’t form flower buds,” says Vasylchyshyna.

How to Get Holiday Cacti to Bloom

To get Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti to bloom, these plants require a temperature change. Though they like warmer temperatures during their growing season, by late fall and winter, the plants prefer slightly cooler temperatures. During these seasons, the Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti need nighttime temperatures between 55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit to encourage blooming. 

In addition to lower temperatures, these plants require a dark period to bloom. About six to eight weeks before it's supposed to flower, place your holiday cacti in a dark room or cover it for 13 hours each night. 

Both plants need more watering and feeding ahead of and during blooming. “At the end of October, start watering the Thanksgiving cactus regularly,” says Vasylchyshyna. You will want to fertilize the plants from March to September with a mineral fertilizer and water the plants when the top 1 to 2 inches of soil is dry.