Many cactus plants are considered extremely appealing to decorate the inside of our apartments and homes. It may be unexpected, but these growing conditions offer great potential for cactus flowers to appear.
Surprisingly, nearly 70% of the most common types of cactus can bear amazing blooming.
A time of dormancy is required. At the end of this period, usually after winter, beautiful flowers will appear in many shaped and colors depending on the type of cactus plant you’re caring for.
Some cactus species will bear flowers that only last a single day or night. Others will bear only a single flower in their lifetime. The great majority will bear flowers multiple times, and they can last quite a while, too!
The saying goes that to make a cactus bloom, you need to recreate the harsh environment it usually encounters in its natural growing environment.
Two rules you must follow for your cactus to flower are the dormant period and a complete lack of water during this time.
Most cactus are plants that tend to live in dry, arid portions of the globe. They expect to spend many months without collecting a single drop of rain.
Here are a few special tips a professional cactus grower shares to help a cactus bloom:
Read on about cactii:
Flowers appear in many shapes and colours at the end of the dormant rest — some lasting only a single day or night, others returning several times over. Nearly 70% of the most common cacti can bloom, but only if given a cool, bright winter with no water at all; meet that, and spring brings the display.
| Phase | When | Watering | Temperature and light |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dormancy (Northern Hemisphere) | The 6 coolest months, usually mid-autumn to early spring | No water at all | 40°F to 50°F (5°C to 10°C) |
| Dormancy (Southern Hemisphere) | early spring to mid-autumn | No water at all | A cool spot that is nonetheless very dry, with excellent light |
| Waking up | Spring, when warm days start becoming more frequent | Bring the cactus back in the house | Warmer temperatures, and a lot of light still |
| Blooming | Most often the beginning of spring | — | Plenty of light |
In short, the cool dry rest sets the flowers up, and the return of warmth and light brings them out.
Note that keeping cactus plants in a bedroom isn’t a problem at all. Indeed, it tends to release more oxygen than it does carbon dioxide, unlike most other houseplants.
Most often because it has never been given a true rest. Two rules must be followed for a cactus to flower: a dormant period, and a complete lack of water during that time. The idea is to recreate the harsh environment the plant meets in its natural growing environment, where it spends many months without collecting a single drop of rain.
Flowers usually appear at the end of the dormant period, after winter. Most often, the beginning of spring is when your cactus will bloom, once warm days become more frequent again and the plant is back in the house with plenty of light. The shapes and colours vary depending on the type of cactus you are caring for.
It depends entirely on the species. Some cactus species bear flowers that only last a single day or night, and others bear only a single flower in their whole lifetime. The great majority, however, flower several times over and the blooms can last quite a while.
Not all of them, but a surprising number do: nearly 70% of the most common types of cactus can bear amazing blooming. During dormancy the ideal temperature is 40°F to 50°F (5°C to 10°C). Some desert types are far tougher and can resist extreme cold, all the way down to -30°C.
