yellow leaves on Christmas Cactus
Quick answer
If your Christmas Cactus has yellow leaves, the most likely cause is: Yellowing along the margins of the Christmas cactus phylloclades, known in the Zygocactus trade as Marginal Chlorosis, arises from a nutrient deficiency or imbalance in the growing media, or from excessively high light levels above the 1500 to 2500 foot-candle optimum (75% to 85% shade) that bleaches the segment edges.
Start here:
- 1. Leach the growing media thoroughly with plain water, repot into fresh media if the plant has been in the same soil for more than twelve months, and apply a balanced liquid or water-soluble fertilizer — improvement should appear within 30 days if nutrition was the cause.
- 2. If light was the cause, relocate the plant to a shadier spot where it receives 1500 to 2500 foot candles (75% to 85% shade) and resume normal feeding and watering; phylloclades should return to their natural color within a few weeks.
Why Christmas Cactus gets yellow leaves
Schlumbergera bridgesii
Yellowing along the margins of the Christmas cactus phylloclades, known in the Zygocactus trade as Marginal Chlorosis, arises from a nutrient deficiency or imbalance in the growing media, or from excessively high light levels above the 1500 to 2500 foot-candle optimum (75% to 85% shade) that bleaches the segment edges.
How to reverse yellow leaves on Christmas Cactus
- 1
Leach the growing media thoroughly with plain water, repot into fresh media if the plant has been in the same soil for more than twelve months, and apply a balanced liquid or water-soluble fertilizer — improvement should appear within 30 days if nutrition was the cause.
- 2
If light was the cause, relocate the plant to a shadier spot where it receives 1500 to 2500 foot candles (75% to 85% shade) and resume normal feeding and watering; phylloclades should return to their natural color within a few weeks.
Keep yellow leaves off this Christmas Cactus
Keep Christmas cactus phylloclades out of direct sun, maintain even feeding with a balanced fertilizer, and refresh the growing media every twelve months or sooner so Marginal Chlorosis does not develop on the upper phylloclades.