Cacti are known for their prickly exterior. But not so much for their flowers - except for Christmas cactus, of course. That’s because they rarely ever show them off. And yet, most (albeit not all) cacti have the ability to bloom and there are things you can do to get your cactus to flower.
It’s all about creating the right environment when it comes to this almost unkillable houseplant and making it bloom. And it’s often down to the wrong conditions that a cactus doesn’t flower.
That’s why our plant experts reveal the most important steps you should take to make your cactus happy and produce its bright and beautiful blossoms. It might not be the easiest to provide all that the cactus desires as it’s built for a desert environment – but if our editors could make their cacti flower without knowing they could do that to begin with, so can you. We believe in you.
How to get your cactus to flower
Making most cacti flower is quite different from getting a Christmas cactus to bloom, which is well-known for its flower-covered look.
‘Cacti are a flowering plant, but some find it more difficult to bloom than others,’ says Shane Dibbs, director of Seed Barn. ‘Some species have more prominent blooms when grown outdoors or under precise conditions.’
Petar Ivanov, Fantastic Gardeners' gardening expert, continues, ‘There are several factors that affect cacti flowering, which include light and sun exposure, watering, temperature conditions, soil and feeding and pruning and repotting. Doing all of these the right way will encourage a cactus to flower easier.’
But before you begin your efforts, it’s important to establish whether yours is a flowering cactus.
‘The key will be to know which species can flower,’ Petar says. ‘The most well-known cacti for their blooms are the Saguaro cactus, the Easter Lily Cactus, the Christmas Cactus, Rebutia, the Fishhook Cactus and Astrophytum Ornatum.
To those, Shane adds, ‘species such as Mammillaria, Gymnocalycium and Parodia will flower with impressive displays that explode with colour and brilliant flowers.’
Once you’ve established its flowering ability, then this is what you need to to encourage your cactus to bloom.
1. Provide it with enough sunlight
As cacti are used to the desert, they thrive in direct sunlight. Quite a lot of it actually.
‘Most cacti require lots of sunlight to bloom. Place your cactus in a location where it will receive lots of bright, indirect sunlight for at least 6 hours per day,’ Shane recommends.
2. Water it sparingly
Similarly to caring for a Christmas cactus, most cacti don’t require a lot of watering as that can lead to root rot.
‘Cacti are known for their ability to withstand drought, but they still need water to bloom. Water your cactus thoroughly but infrequently, allowing the soil to dry out completely between watering. Overwatering can lead to root rot and prevent flowering,’ Shane says.
3. Provide it with well-draining soil
‘They’ll need well-draining soil that’s rich in nutrients to flower and also pruning and repotting at the right time because over time they can become rootbound, which will prevent flowering,’ Petar explains.
4. Avoid high humidity
This goes back to cacti’s natural habitat which is the desert known for its dry conditions.
‘High humidity is another factor that can prevent a cactus from flowering as these plants prefer dry and hot conditions,’ Petar says.
Apart from all this, you also need to keep in mind that cacti are slow growers and it might take even a few years for them to reach maturity and produce flowers. Just be patient with it.
