How Cold Tolerant Are Christmas Cactus Plants?

Vacation cacti are festive crops that bloom through the winter months, and funky circumstances are required for his or her eye-catching, colourful blooms to type.

However since they aren’t chilly hardy, it’s essential to know precisely what temperature vary they should thrive and promote blooming.

Whether or not you’ve simply acquired a Schlumbergera as a vacation present, or have inherited one in all these long-lived succulents from a buddy or relative, chances are you’ll be questioning if it’s secure for this plant to spend time outdoor when the circumstances begin to cool.

Maybe you’re making an attempt to determine in case your Christmas cactus can reside outdoor all winter lengthy.

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That can rely on simply how low the temperatures fall in your location through the colder seasons.

And though they aren’t chilly hardy, it would shock you to study that cool circumstances are literally required to assist these succulents flower!

On this article we’re going to clear up any confusion you might need about Christmas cactus chilly tolerance. Right here’s what we’ll cowl:

Because you’re right here to study extra concerning the chilly tolerance of Schlumbergera, it would profit you to have a higher understanding of their general temperature preferences to present you a whole view of their seasonal wants.

Earlier than we get began, if you happen to’d prefer to dip again into the fundamentals of those succulents together with their background, care and upkeep wants, and recommendations on pest and illness management, you’ll want to learn our full information to rising and caring for Christmas cacti.

Finest Temperatures for Foliage Progress

These cool-weather blooming epiphytes hail from coastal, mountain forests in Brazil the place the circumstances are pretty delicate.

Within the heat months, the daytime vary tends to stay to a nice 70 to 80°F, with drops of about 10 levels at evening.

In temperatures as much as 90°F, vacation cacti are stimulated to supply their distinctive foliage that consists of flattened stems, referred to as cladodes – however not blooms.

If temperatures stay above 90°F, they’ll cease rising and look forward to cooler circumstances earlier than resuming development.

Finest Temperatures for Bloom Manufacturing

Subsequent let’s take a look at the ranges that can encourage these succulents to bloom.

Whereas not all gardeners are in settlement on the perfect temperature vary to encourage flowering, most horticulturalists agree that nighttime temperatures of 55°F is suitable to encourage bud formation.

Alternatively, under 50°F could cause buds to drop, and nighttime temperatures persistently above 65°F can stop bud formation.

That provides us a candy spot of nighttime temperatures between 50 to 65°F if you’d like your vacation cactus to bloom.

Or goal for 55 to 60°F if you wish to be extra prudent on each ends of the vary, avoiding factors on the thermometer which may be both too cool or too heat.

You’ll be able to study extra about encourage Christmas cactus to bloom in our information.

Christmas Cactus Chilly Tolerance

Whereas not all gardeners goal for a similar vary on the thermometer to encourage flowering, likewise, not all horticulturalists designate the identical chilly tolerance for these succulents.

That is possible as a result of chilly tolerance for any given plant will depend on extra than simply the temperature – different elements that affect this tolerance embody size of publicity, humidity, and soil dryness.

Actually, some succulents, reminiscent of prickly pears, are rather more tolerant of the chilly if circumstances are pretty dry.

Nevertheless, this isn’t the case with Schlumbergera species as they aren’t tailored to residing in chilly winter circumstances.

The coldest these succulents expertise of their native vary is round 50°F, so it is a good decrease restrict to respect.

So in case your plant is outdoors for the summer season, you’ll want to carry it again indoors earlier than the forecast predicts it to drop under 50°F as if it goes any decrease Christmas cacti can drop their leaves.

Having mentioned that, some gardeners – and even some well-respected gardening establishments – declare that these crops are hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 10, the place lows can attain 30°F.

Others advocate this plant for Zone 11 on the coldest, which experiences lows of 40°F.

As we’ve mentioned, it’s possible that these differing opinions on the chilly tolerance of those succulents replicate different environmental circumstances in addition to temperature.

Humidity variations will have an effect on this tolerance, as will the hydration of crops when uncovered to temperatures under 50°F. So until you might have private expertise that tells you in any other case, play it secure and hold crops above 50°F.

Do you reside in a location the place climate circumstances keep above 50°F throughout winter?

If that’s the case, chances are you’ll need to learn our article about rising vacation cacti outdoor.

I discussed the significance of size of publicity to freezing circumstances.

If you’re bringing one in all these vacation bloomers from a automobile to your entrance door throughout winter, hold the plant in a bag or field to guard it, however it ought to be tremendous for such a brief size of time.

Alternatively if you happen to go away one in all these houseplants outdoor for a whole evening of freezing circumstances, chances are you’ll discover the stems have turned mushy the following morning.

Cross your fingers – though will probably be severely broken, there’s an opportunity you could possibly revive the plant!

To do that, transfer it out of the chilly and right into a heat – however not scorching – location. Trim again any broken stems – something that’s mushy or black – and provides the plant a small quantity of water if the soil is dry.

Keep even moisture within the soil to maintain the roots alive, however don’t water abundantly till stems start to regrow – if certainly they do regrow.

Solely time will inform! You’ll have to attend and see if the plant recovers and produces new stems later in winter or spring.

Chill Out – However Not Too A lot

Let’s do a fast recap: hold these succulents above 50°F to forestall chilly harm.

Intention for 55 to 60°F to encourage blooming, give them 70 to 80°F to advertise stem development, and by no means expose them to freezing circumstances for prolonged intervals.

And if a vacation cactus is uncovered to an evening or extra of freezing temperatures, prune broken foliage and attempt to hold the plant alive till it begins to regrow.

Do you might have any remaining questions concerning the chilly tolerance of those epiphytic succulents? Are you rising a vacation cactus outdoor 12 months spherical? If that’s the case, what USDA Hardiness Zone are you in? Tell us within the feedback part under.

Wish to continue learning about rising vacation cacti? We now have extra studying for you proper right here:

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