Stunning Christmas Cactus Inspiration

I am so honored and excited to bring you this stunning Christmas Cactus flower inspiration, collected over the decades by a fellow plant lover!

Krista Guinn is an avid holiday cactus grower who lives in Montana. She has graciously allowed me to feature her stunning collection of over 75 holiday cactus plants.

Just wait until you see Krista’s photos- her sunroom overflows with gorgeous holiday cactus bursting with blooms.

She has a colorful collection of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter cacti and has honed her gardening skills through trial and error over the last decade of growing holiday cacti.

Be Inspired With This Holiday Cactus Collection

Let’s drop in for a moment at Krista’s cozy cabin. Wood walls give a warm and inviting ambiance. The expansive windows offer a generous view of the majestic Montana countryside.

But what really catches the eye is the overflowing display of vibrant holiday cactus, beckoning with rich green clades from every nook and cranny of Krista’s home.

Krista’s collection of over 75 cactus happily cascades throughout her sunroom, waving cheery greetings and- when in season- colorful neon flowers.

The rainbow of flowers begins blooming as early as September. Krista says each plant seems to have its own mind regarding flowering. The floral fireworks show begins in the fall and can last for months.

On blooming, Krista states,
“The plants kinda have a mind of their own! Some years, I have blooms that start in September and will continually bloom through spring, and other years, they bloom just in the typical months you’d expect a holiday cactus to bloom.”

Christmas cactus problems? Read this article.

Getting Started

Krista caught the holiday cactus bug when a friend gifted her a small clade 15 years ago.

“I first fell in love with holiday cactus about 15 years ago when a friend of mine gave me one little starter clade. It was so little, but before long, it bloomed the most gorgeous coral color bloom, and right there, I knew I was hooked! I still have that first cactus, and it has blessed a lot of friends and family with their own little starts.”

Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter cactus are easy to propagate- learn how here.

Tips For Growing Holiday Cactus

Krista is a skilled gardener who cares for, nurtures, and propagates holiday cactus.. She kindly shares a few tips on how to take care of Christmas and Thanksgiving cactus with us.

Watering Tips

Krista waters her holiday cactus when the top inch of soil is dry. She keeps them well hydrated and does not let the plants get overly thirsty, very similar to our watering guide.

Lighting

“My cactuses stay right where they are year-round, in bright, natural indirect light. I let nature give them more or less light to stimulate blooms.”

Krista has the perfect setup for stimulating Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus bloom production. There is a lot of confusion on how to stimulate blooming. The best choice is an environment with enough natural hours of darkness to encourage the plant to set buds (when possible).

Learn how to grow Christmas cactus here.

Fertilizer

Krista gives us insight into some unique but popular methods for fertilizing holiday cactus. She uses Epsom salts and coffee on her plants quite successfully!

Here’s what she has to say,

“My favorite and most effective tip is Epsom salt and diluted coffee. I alternate those in my watering routine. I use one tablespoon of Epsom salt per gallon of water. Not only do my indoor cactuses love it but my outdoor flowers as well. About every other month I use day old coffee diluted with water, they absolutely love it!”

Colors

Christmas cactus and Thanksgiving cactus come in a wide array of colors. Krista loves her uniquely variegated orange, pink, and yellow flowers the best.

Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti are available in many shades of pink, red, coral, orange, white, salmon, yellow, and peach.

The Joy Of Plants

Krista and I connected over the joy houseplants like Christmas cactus can bring. They are more than just plants- they are our friends who we care for, and who in turn bring us so much joy.

Like many other plants, holiday cactus soothe us, offer beauty, and remind us of our awesome Creator. He gives us amazing gifts!

Krista shares, “Holiday cactus bring peace and happiness to my soul and give me joy like a child on Christmas morning every time they grace me with their gorgeous blooms.”

Thank you again to Krista for sharing her awe inspiring collection of holiday cactus with us, and her tips for caring for these remarkable plants.

I loved interviewing Krista for this article. Please let me know if you would like to see more features on remarkable plant growers here on the blog. -Jamie