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Are shriveled Christmas cactus leaves taking the sheen off your favorite holiday plant? Here are the top reasons and solutions!
Seeing your Christmas cactus leaves go limp and wrinkly can be worrying, especially when you are waiting for those bright blooms to appear. Don’t panic! The problem is fixable. We’ve listed all the main reasons and simple fixes to bring back healthy leaves and flowers.
Shriveled Christmas Cactus Leaves? Reason and Solutions
1. Underwatering Stress
One of the most common culprits behind shriveled leaves in your Christmas cactus is simply thirst. Your Christmas cacti store water in their fleshy leaves, so when they go too long without a drink, the leaves lose their plumpness and start to wrinkle.
This usually happens during the active growing months (spring and summer) or while it is blooming around the winter holidays.
The Fix: Give your plant a thorough soak until water drains out of the bottom of the pot, then let the soil dry slightly before watering again. Also, keep an eye on humidity.
Christmas cacti come from tropical forests, not deserts. They enjoy some humidity and don’t like prolonged dryness like other desert cacti. So place the pot on a pebble tray with water or lightly mist the air around it.
Pro Tip: Use your finger to check the moisture about an inch below the surface; if it feels bone dry, it’s time to water.
2. Overwatering and Root Rot
Too much water can be just as harmful. If the roots sit in wet soil, they rot. Rotten roots cannot send water to the leaves, which then look shriveled even though the soil is damp.
You should always use a pot with drainage holes, as Christmas cacti hate sitting in water. If the damage is already done, here’s what to do!
The Fix: Remove your plant from its pot and inspect the roots. Don’t forget to trim away any black or mushy sections. Then repot into fresh, well-draining cactus soil mixed with perlite or orchid bark for extra aeration.
Remember to hold off on watering until the soil is mostly dry, then resume a more careful watering schedule.
3. Too Much Direct Sunlight
Christmas cacti enjoy bright light, but avoid exposing them to direct sunlight. Too much direct sunlight in summer can dehydrate your plant and cause leaves to shrivel, and you will see them turning reddish or yellowish at the edges.
Solution: Move your plant to a spot with bright, indirect light. An east-facing window with gentle morning sun is perfect, or you can filter harsh afternoon sun with sheer curtains. Within a few weeks, you should see the leaves regain their healthy plumpness.
Pro Tip: Rotate your cactus every couple of weeks so it grows evenly and doesn’t lean toward the light source.
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