The Christmas Cactus, part of the genus Schlumbergera (which we think is just a fun word to say), is a staple of the holidays with its festive color popping during the season. The plant comes in pink, white, a rusty orange/red, yellow and purple.

There’s only a few species within this group of colorful cacti, and they all  are native to the coastal mountains of southeastern Brazil. Fun fact: while the Christmas Cactus blooms around the winter holidays in the U.S., it is known as the “May Flower” in Brazil, because that’s when it blossoms in the southern hemisphere.

Christmas Cacti are different from other succulents because they are looking for humidity as opposed to their desert counterparts.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, Schlumbergera comes from Frederick Schlumberg, an enthusiast for the plant, who had a collection of them in his home in France in the 1800s.

Caring for Your Christmas Cactus

Water: While it is blooming, keep it evenly moist and mist frequently (remember, this plant loves humidity). You might also want to place a tray of pebbles filled with water beneath your plant container to introduce more humidity. That being said, you never want to water it so heavily that its roots become water logged.

Food: Once buds appear, give it some high-potassium fertilizer every couple of weeks.

Light: While the Christmas Cactus will tolerate lower light, it really prefers bright sunshine and even a little direct sunlight (but not too much; you don’t want to burn the leaves). This will encourage it to bloom.

Temperature: About 65 degrees is perfect for your Christmas Cactus.

Encouraging More Blooms

Your Christmas Cactus might have several blooming cycles during the year, but will usually stop flowering by fall. At that point, you should encourage its brief dormancy cycle by reducing water, light and temperature. About six to eight weeks before you want to see it bloom again, make sure the plant gets 12 to 14 hours of darkness in temperatures around 55 degrees.

Once you start seeing buds again on the plant start reintroducing it into warmer temperatures and watering it more frequently. You’ll see blooms again in about six weeks.

Here’s a fun fact about this week’s featured houseplant: Although they are only sold about 6 weeks each year, poinsettias are the most popular potted plant in the United States, with about 80 million sold annually.

Poinsettias are easy to care for during their peak season and while they are most visually dazzling during the winter, it’s possible to keep them as a houseplant all year long.

It will take a little bit of maintenance to get your poinsettia to re-bloom, however.

Caring for Your Poinsettia

Water: Water only when the top inch of soil has dried out. A good rule of thumb is to carefully lift up the plant; if it feels light, it’s time to water. If the plant is wrapped in decorative foil, take it off before watering to ensure proper drainage. Don’t allow the poinsettia to sit in water and make sure not to get water on the leaves.

Light: Your poinsettia will enjoy a bright, sunny window, but away from direct sunlight.

Temperature: 60 to 70 degrees during the day and 55 to 60 degrees at night will extend the bloom time and keep your poinsettia happy! Avoid temperature fluctuations and warm or cold drafts.

After the Holidays

Poinsettias will thrive as a year-round houseplant and, with care, can even be coaxed into blooming again next year. It’s not hard, but it does require diligence.

Fertilize your poinsettia once per month prior to and during blooming, but do not fertilize after blooming.  In September, you’ll need to restrict the amount of light your poinsettia gets to only about 10 hours. It will need to be in total darkness the rest of that time, so try placing a bucket over it or putting it in a closet. Keep the plant in a cool place with a temperature below 75 degrees.

Once the leaves show some red, you can return your poinsettia to it’s bright, sunny place and resume care as described above.

Ceropegia Wodii has many names, but the most common is String of Hearts. It’s also known as a Rosary Vine. Both names are very accurate. The leaves of this lovely plant are distinctly heart-shaped and they drape down along a thin, wire-like stem that looks like a vine.

This succulent trails beautifully and makes it a popular plant for hangers. The vines, with the hearts looking like beads hanging along it, can grow to two or three feet.

Caring for Your String of Hearts

These plants are pretty tolerant and easy to grow. Plant using a cactus potting soil mix or a regular potting mix of soil and sand.

Water your String of Hearts sparingly. Your best bet is to allow the soil to nearly dry out and then water thoroughly. These plants are native to Africa and might droop a little during the winter, but don’t worry; they’ll come back in the spring.

String of hearts can survive in lower light setting, but does best in bright, indirect sunlight. Less light will result in less contrast in the leaf variegation.

Fertilize during the spring and summer, but cut back in the fall to allow your plant to rest during its semi-dormant period during the winter.

Other tips

• Rotate your plant periodically to ensure even growth on all sides.
• Make sure your plant has excellent drainage and remove excess water from the plant saucer after watering.
• You can cut off errant stems, but pruning is not strictly necessary.

Say hello to the N Joy Pothos, a plant providing lots of reasons to brighten up your day. It’s easy to care for, has gorgeously variegated leaves, and even its name will make you smile.

The N Joy was discovered in 2002 as a “branch mutation” (i.e., a naturally occurring deviation) of the popular Marble Queen pothos. Its leaves are a little thinner and smaller than the Marble Queen, and the variegated cream and green of its leaves is much more dramatic.

Like most pothos, N Joy looks great in a pot or hanging in a container. Although most pothos are forgiving about low light, you’ll want to give N Joy plenty of bright, indirect light – not only so it can thrive, but also so it can maintain the striking color contrast on the leaves.

One of the very few demands of all pothos is to not be overwatered, so keep the top few inches of soil dry and test the soil prior to watering. While pothos don’t necessarily require fertilization, particularly if they have good nutritious soil, you can feed them on a regular schedule from April or May through August. Just follow the instructions on the label of your favorite plant food.

Pothos love a good misting and it’s also important to dust them when needed so they photosynthesize efficiently.

We hope you enjoy your N Joy!

This week’s houseplant requires a little more “hands on” nurturing – it’s not a water-once-a-week-and-forget-it kind of plant. In fact, getting the watering regimen right for this plant is one of its biggest challenges.

But it is so striking, beautiful and unique, that we absolutely think it’s worth the effort.

The Stromanthe Sanguinea ‘Triostar’ is a tropical plant with magnificent tricolor leaves in hues of green, pink and cream. It’s part of the “prayer plant” family, where the leaves are flat during the day, but then fold up at night, looking like hands in prayer. For this reason it’s sometimes confused with another colorful prayer plant, the calathea.

Caring for your Stromanthe Sanguinea ‘Triostar’

Here’s what you need to do to keep your Triostar happy:

Water: The most challenging part of owning this plant is its watering routine, because the Triostar is a little like Goldilocks – everything has to be just right. It doesn’t like tap water (Triostar is sensitive to the chemicals), so a not too chilled distilled or spring water is preferred. You need to keep the soil moist but without waterlogging it. When it’s cooler out, you can let it dry out a little more.

The leaves will let you know if you need to adjust your watering routine: if they turn brown, it means the plant needs more water; if they are yellow, the plant is waterlogged. Let it dry out and try again.

Light: This plant grew up in the rainforest and prefers dappled light. No direct sunlight, please, as that will burn those gorgeous leaves. You might also want to dust the leaves so it can absorb more light.

Soil: Use a well-draining, light soil. It needs to retain moisture, but can’t be claggy.

Humidity: This is a plant that loves a bathroom window – all that steam and humidity! But if that’s not in the cards, make sure your plant is far away from heating vents or the air conditioner.

With a little love, care, and patience, you’ll get a healthy plant with with extraordinary foliage to enjoy for many years.

This week’s houseplant feature is a little harder to grow than many of the other ones we’ve shared with you – but it is so beautiful, we think it’s worth the effort.

These gorgeous guys are known by their deep green glossy leaves shot through with silvery or gold-colored veins, giving them their iconic striped appearance.

And in the late summer or early autumn, these plants flower – tall, elegant flowers that last up to six weeks and are very striking.

But you need to pay attention to what your zebra wants – and he wants bright light, high humidity and plenty of water. Never allow the soil to dry out. You might want to use lukewarm water to keep the soil temperature up; and you don’t want house temps to fall below 60 degrees for smaller plants. Larger plants actually would prefer the temps to be above 70 degrees – greenhouse or conservatory conditions, truly.

But you can raise these lovelies in your home, if you are willing to keep the heat on and keep them well watered. For your effort, you’ll get a healthy plant that annually produces some show-stopping blooms as a bonus.

Plectranthus ‘Lemon Twist’ is a plant that thrives when conditions are bright.

Also known as Swedish Ivy, this beauty sports serrated, heart-shaped leaves. They first appear as a soft pale green, before darkening and developing a distinctive, lemon-colored edge. Its fine texture will make it stand out in your indoor garden.

CARING FOR YOUR LEMON TWIST

Light: This plant loves bright light, so a south facing window will be perfect. 

Watering: While this plant will tolerate dry or moist soil, it doesn’t like extremes. Make sure it isn’t water logged, but don’t let it dry out completely before watering again. 

Soil: Use a well-draining general potting soil. 

There’s just no denying it – the Baby Toes plant (Fenestraria rhopalophylla) is just downright cute. The name from their plump, tubular leaves that resemble a tiny cluster of chubby toes peeking up from the soil. Native to the deserts of South Africa and Namibia, Baby Toes have evolved a fascinating adaptation: the translucent “windows” at the tips of their leaves allow sunlight to penetrate deep into the plant, helping it photosynthesize while keeping most of its body safely underground, away from the desert heat.

Their quirky look, combined with low-maintenance needs, makes Baby Toes a favorite among succulent enthusiasts. Whether you’re a new plant parent or a seasoned collector, this unique little plant adds a touch of whimsy and wonder to your windowsill or succulent display.

And here’s another lovely little touch – those baby toes sometimes bloom in the late summer with daisy-like flowers.

CARING FOR YOUR BABY TOES

Light: Provide bright, direct sunlight year-round. If you see these toes starting to stretch towards the window, it means they need more light.

Watering: As a succulent, this plant doesn’t need much watering and you should let it dry out completely before adding more water. A sure sign it needs some H2O? The little toes start to get wrinkly.

Temperature / Humidity: The Baby Toes likes it warm and dry. 

Soil: Use a well-draining cactus or succulent mix. 

If you’re looking for a showy yet low-maintenance cactus that adds visual drama, the Rat Tail Cactus might just be your new favorite. Native to Mexico and parts of Central America, this cactus is known for its slender, trailing stems and violet-red blooms that spring and early summer.

This plant is ideally grown in hanging pots or baskets, letting its long stems cascade beautifully. 

CARING FOR YOUR RAT TAIL CACTUS

Light: Provide bright, direct sunlight year-round. A south- or west-facing window is ideal. Insufficient sun is the most common reason for failure to bloom.

Watering: During the growing season, water regularly to keep the soil slightly moist (not soggy). In fall, begin tapering off watering. In winter dormancy, water only sparingly if the soil is bone dry.

Humidity: Keep humidity moderate, not excessively high.

Soil: Use a well-draining cactus or succulent mix. The plant prefers a slightly acidic pH.

Our Houseplant of the Week, the Madagascar Palm, is a little bit misnamed. It’s most definitely an African native, and with it’s spear-like leaves, it looks like a palm, but it’s actually a succulent.

It’s definitely a statement plant, with its think trunk – often covered with spikey thorns – and brings an exotic touch to any indoor garden.

It’s also easy to care for.

• Light – The Madagascar Palm loves its light, so place it in a south or west facing window.
• Soil – While it’s relatively happy in any well-draining soil, a mix specifically made for cacti would work best.
• Water – Make sure to let the soil dry out completely in between waterings, then soak.
• Temperature – Don’t leave your plant out in the cold. They are a bit sensitive to temperature and thrive when it’s anywhere from 60 to 80 degrees.
• Fertilizer – A general fertilizer works, but only once in spring and once in the summer.