Why are my flower buds dropping?

This is often caused by sudden changes in temperature or moving the plant while it is budding.

How do I get it to bloom again?

Provide cool nights around 15 degrees Celsius and at least 12 to 14 hours of total darkness each day for several weeks.

Plant guide

Thanksgiving cactus.

Schlumbergera truncata

Pronounced shlum-BER-ger-uh trunk-AH-tuh

Also known as False Christmas Cactus, Thanksgiving cactus, claw cactus, crab cactus, linkleaf, yoke cactus

Crab Cactus — Photo by Luis Romero (CC BY) via iNaturalist

The Thanksgiving cactus is a festive succulent that produces vibrant, tubular flowers in late autumn. It is an epiphyte that naturally grows on trees in the Brazilian rainforests. You will love how easy it is to keep this plant blooming for years.

Another photo of Thanksgiving cactus — Photo by Victor Farjalla Pontes (CC BY) via iNaturalist

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Epiphytic succulent
Light: Bright, indirect light.
Indoor light: Bright indirect
Water: Every 7 to 14 days
Mature size: 6 to 12 inches tall.
Growth rate: Medium
Hardiness: USDA 10 to 12
Bloom time: Late autumn to early winter

Care

Keep your plant in a spot with bright, indirect light and avoid harsh afternoon sun. Water when the top inch of soil feels dry, but make sure the pot has excellent drainage to prevent rot. Watch for shriveled stems, which often signal that the plant is thirsty.

Watering: Water thoroughly once the top layer of soil is dry to the touch.
Feeding: Feed with a balanced houseplant fertilizer during the active growing season.
Pruning: Trim back stems after flowering to encourage a bushier shape.
Repotting: Repot only when the plant becomes root-bound, as they prefer to be slightly snug.
Soil: Well-draining, peat-based succulent mix.
Soil pH: 5.5 to 6.2
Temperature: 10 to 24°C
Humidity: 50 to 70%
Drought tolerance: Low
Lifespan: Perennial, can live for several decades with proper care.
Deer and rabbits: Moderate

Signs it needs repotting

Roots growing out of the drainage holes.
The plant stops growing despite good care.
Soil dries out much faster than usual.

Safety

People: The plant is generally considered non toxic to humans, though ingestion may cause mild stomach upset.
Pets: This plant is generally considered non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Children: The stems can be brittle and break easily, so keep it out of reach of small children to prevent ingestion of plant parts.
Edibility: This plant is not considered edible and should be kept away from food preparation areas.

How to identify it

Segmented, flattened green stems
Pointed teeth along stem edges
Tubular flowers in various colors
Pendent growth habit

Height: 0.15 to 0.3m
Spread: 0.3 to 0.6m
Leaves: green, evergreen
Flowers: red, pink, white, orange, purple, 3 to 8cm
Fruit: pink

Problems to watch for

Root rot · Caused by overwatering or poor drainage, leading to mushy stems.
Mealybugs · Small white cottony insects that suck sap from the stem joints.

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

Check your thanksgiving cactus from a photo

Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your plant and tells you what's wrong and what to try first.

Growing it

Propagation: cuttings
When to plant: spring
Overwintering: Keep the plant in a cool, bright spot indoors away from cold drafts or heating vents. Reduce watering slightly during the winter months after flowering has finished.
In containers: It is an excellent container plant that prefers a snug pot to encourage blooming.

Stem cuttings

1. Twist off a healthy stem segment with at least two or three joints.
2. Let the cut end dry for a day or two until it forms a callus.
3. Insert the callused end into a moist, well draining potting mix.
4. Place in bright, indirect light and keep the soil lightly moist until roots form.

Group plants with similar water needs together to maintain a consistent microclimate.

Grows well with

Peace Lily · They share similar requirements for indirect light and consistent moisture.
Pothos · Both plants thrive in similar indoor humidity and temperature ranges.

Similar species

Easter Cactus · It has rounded stem edges and blooms in spring instead of late autumn.
Christmas Cactus · It has more scalloped, rounded stem segments compared to the pointed edges of the Thanksgiving cactus.

Science

Family: Cactaceae
Genus: Schlumbergera
Order: Caryophyllales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Coastal mountains of southeastern Brazil.
Conservation: It is threatened in its native Brazilian habitat due to deforestation and illegal collection.

It grows as an epiphyte in humid, shaded forest canopies where it receives filtered light and moisture from the air.

Value to wildlife: nectar source
Pollinators: hummingbirds
Uses: indoor ornamental, hanging baskets

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 2/9
Soil reaction: 5/9
Light: 4/9
Temperature: 7/9
Moisture: 5/9
Nutrients: 3/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Why are my flower buds dropping?: This is often caused by sudden changes in temperature or moving the plant while it is budding.
How do I get it to bloom again?: Provide cool nights around 15 degrees Celsius and at least 12 to 14 hours of total darkness each day for several weeks.

Where the name comes from

The genus honors Frédéric Schlumberger, a French cactus collector, while the species name truncata refers to the truncated or cut off appearance of the stem segments.

Good to know

It is commonly called the Thanksgiving cactus because it typically blooms around that holiday.
The stem segments are actually flattened branches called cladodes.
It requires long nights to trigger flower bud formation.
It is a true cactus, but it does not like hot, dry desert conditions.

Keep your thanksgiving cactus growing

This page is a general guide. Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked.

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This guide was generated with AI on October 19, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.