bud drop on Easter Cactus
Quick answer
If your Easter Cactus has bud drop, the most likely cause is: Easter cactus (Schlumbergera gaertneri, also called Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri) aborts its flower buds when the plant is moved while in bud, when watering swings from bone-dry to soggy, or when temperatures fluctuate during the cool bud-initiation period; the species is a tree-dwelling jungle cactus from Brazilian rain forests whose segmented stems drop developing buds in response to sudden environmental shifts after bud set.
Start here:
- 1. Move the plant from its cool rest position back to its flowering position only once it is in early bud, then leave it completely undisturbed for the rest of the bloom cycle.
- 2. Check your watering regime during bud set: keep the compost just moist and never let it swing from bone-dry to soggy, and move the cactus to a warmer room once the buds show colour at the tips.
Why Easter Cactus gets bud drop
Easter Cactus
Easter cactus (Schlumbergera gaertneri, also called Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri) aborts its flower buds when the plant is moved while in bud, when watering swings from bone-dry to soggy, or when temperatures fluctuate during the cool bud-initiation period; the species is a tree-dwelling jungle cactus from Brazilian rain forests whose segmented stems drop developing buds in response to sudden environmental shifts after bud set.
How to reverse bud drop on Easter Cactus
- 1
Move the plant from its cool rest position back to its flowering position only once it is in early bud, then leave it completely undisturbed for the rest of the bloom cycle.
- 2
Check your watering regime during bud set: keep the compost just moist and never let it swing from bone-dry to soggy, and move the cactus to a warmer room once the buds show colour at the tips.
Keep bud drop off this Easter Cactus
Start the cool rest in autumn by placing the plant in an unheated room with no lights at night for 8 weeks, keep night temperatures at 10 to 13 degrees C (50 to 55 degrees F) during that rest, then raise temperatures to 21 degrees C (70 degrees F) by day and 16 to 21 degrees C (60 to 70 degrees F) by night once buds are visible.