It’s super common to mix up the Christmas cactus and the Easter cactus. While they look pretty similar at first glance, they’re actually two different plants and only distant cousins in the botanical world. And fun fact: despite their names, neither plant actually has anything to do with the holidays themselves!
The names are all about the bloom time
One of the easiest ways to tell them apart is by when they start showing off their colors. As you might’ve guessed, the Christmas cactus blooms in the winter (often right around the holidays), while the Easter cactus waits until spring to do its thing. However, you can’t always bet the farm on the calendar. Sometimes these plants get a little overachieving and bloom twice a year! Their timing really depends on things like light and temperature.
For example, the Easter cactus needs a “winter nap” for at least four weeks to trigger those spring flowers. During this dormant phase, it likes to stay cool—somewhere between 53 and 59 degrees Fahrenheit. If that rest period gets shifted or shortened, the bloom time changes too. That’s why relying on the calendar alone isn’t the most foolproof way to identify them.
The best way to tell the difference
If you want to be 100% sure which one you’re looking at, you’ve got to check out the flowers and the leaves. The Easter cactus and Christmas cactus have totally different bloom shapes and leaf structures.
Easter cactus flowers are star-shaped and symmetrical. On the other hand, Christmas cactus blooms are more elongated and tubular. Their petals actually grow in “tiers” or layers, and the flowers can get up to three inches long. Pro tip: once your Easter cactus starts budding, don’t move it! They’re a bit sensitive and might drop their buds if their environment changes suddenly.
You can also look at the “segments” (which most of us just call leaves). Christmas cactus leaves have pointy, jagged edges. The leaves on an Easter cactus are much smoother, with rounded or oval edges.
Quick tips for identifying holiday cacti
- Check the segments: Look for edges that are either smooth and rounded or sharp and jagged.
- Watch the calendar: These cacti generally bloom in either the dead of winter or the peak of spring.
