Care Tips
Habit: Slow growing, small cacti producing semi-erect to arching flat, broad, slightly toothed stem segments that act as leaves as the plants do not produce any actual leaves. Flowers are produced in the axils of the toothed sections of the outer stem segments in colours of pink, red, orange, lavender-purple and white.
Temperature: Plants grow best between 20 to 27ᐤ C during the growing season and temperatures between 10 to 15ᐤ C during the cold dormant season.
Light Exposure: Plants do best in bright, indirect light to thrive and grow well. They can withstand lower light situations but will not grow very strongly, will appear stretched (etiolated) and will tend to be more susceptible to pests and diseases. Plants exposed to direct sunlight will develop scorched and burnt leaves reducing the beauty of the plant.
Watering: Given that the plants are potted in a very free draining medium, they can be watered once a week during the rainy season, once every two or three weeks in the cold dry season and once to twice during the hot dry season.
Fertilising: Winter Cacti need to be fertilised with a well balanced fertiliser at half strength only once per month. Plants can be damaged by over fertilizing so one must be careful.
Pruning/Repotting: Pruning is mainly only needed to help shape the plant and repotting is usually necessary only when a plant outgrows its pot or to refresh the media when repotting into the same sized pot.
Pests/Diseases: The only real pest that affects the Mistletoe Cactus is mealy bug while fungal pathogens that cause root rot will easy kill plants that are overwatered.