Why Are The Leaves Of My Christmas Cactus Turning Purple?

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The Christmas cactus has a talent for causing confusion. A large part of this is the fact that many growers mix up this Schlumbergera with its siblings, the easter cactus and Thanksgiving cactus.

Christmas cactus leaves turning purplePin

This can lead to a plant that doesn’t bloom when you expect it to.

But there’s another issue that can cause a lot of head-scratchingwhen the leaves of your Christmas cactus turn purple.

Why Are My Christmas Cactus Leaves Turning Purple?

It’s normal to see a bit of purple tint on a Schlumbergera, but not for it to become the dominant color.


Caused by improper care, this discoloration is easy to diagnose and remedy. Here are the most common reasons:

Improper Watering

Giving your Christmas cactus too much or too little water is easy, but it can have serious consequences.

Underwatering can lead to several symptoms, with purpling being a less common one.

Christmas cactus plant with green and pink segments in a pot.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @houseplantdiary_official

If you’ve returned from vacation to find the soil completely dry, don’t pour a gallon of water on your plant. Slowly add a small amount of water every day for 2 to 3 days until the soil is moist at the drainage holes.

Overwatering is far more serious, as the purpling could be a sign of root rot.

Root rot happens when the plant’s roots are exposed to too much water, preventing the roots from properly absorbing water and nutrients.

It can also kill the plant if not treated quickly enough.

To prevent watering issues, practice the soak-and-dry method with your Christmas cactus.

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Photo Credit: Instagram @gaylespenceelliott

This means checking the soil every few days and watering only when it’s dry ⅓ of the way down the pot.

Add the water slowly and evenly until it seeps from the drainage holes.



Nutrition Or Better Malnutrition

You probably already know that plants need nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (the NPK in fertilizers), but that’s not all they need.

Trace minerals such as iron and copper also play an important role.

However, Schlumbergeras need a much higher magnesium content than most plants. The common symptom of a magnesium deficiency is that the Christmas cactus plant starts turning purple.

It’s generally a good idea to give your Christmas cactus a diluted balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer every other week from April to October, then stop for the winter.

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Photo Credit: Instagram @lounsburycathy

To combat a magnesium deficiency, you may also wish to add a teaspoon of Epsom salts to the soil.

Just do the salts during the weeks you don’t fertilize, and vice versa, so the plant isn’t overwhelmed.

Overcrowding

As with most plants, Christmas cacti must be repotted every few years to replenish the soil and give them room to grow.

When one of these plants becomes rootbound, the roots cannot draw sufficient food from the soil, resulting in malnourishment.

It’s easy to diagnose this as the cause by looking for roots poking out of the container’s drainage holes.

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Photo Credit: Instagram @carol_leopard

You should repot a Christmas cactus every 2 years in the spring, graduating to one container size larger as needed.

However, note that Christmas cacti like to be a little root-bound, so don’t rush to repot out-of-season unless the plant shows signs of extreme distress.

Too Much Direct Sunlight

A very common cause of purpling, especially in the summer months, is exposing your Schlumbergera to too much sunlight.

As with most houseplants, Schlumbergera is adapted to live on a forest floor, sheltered by trees.

As a result, you should avoid exposing it to direct sunlight, especially at midday (a little morning or evening sun is okay in moderation).

Bright pink flowers on a plant with dark purple leaves in a hanging planterPin
Photo Credit: Instagram @maggie__brookes

Ideally, your plant should be in indirect, bright light or filtered sunlight, such as behind a sheer curtain.

Fixing this particular problem is as easy as moving the plant to a slightly less sunny spot.

Temperature Issues

Fluctuations in temperature can turn a Christmas cactus purple, just like it can to people.

Ideally, the plant should be kept in temperatures of 70° to 80° degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 60° to 65° degrees Fahrenheit at night.

It’s also best to keep the plant sheltered from drafts or direct lines of fire of air conditioners and heaters.