Hello All!
I 'rescued' a christmas cactus from my mother in law that was not doing very well and I am trying to revitalize it. It seems to be growing 'okay' - however it is only growing to one side. It's placed fairly in the center of a window (though it is a east-facing window) but it just grows to one side and as it does so it has 'tipped' that way making it even more pronounced.

Any advice on how to straighten this guy out would be very appreciated. Can I simply try tilting it the other way? I know they have shallow roots so not sure if that would disturb it. Would rotating it in the window help?





The base of the plant is also pretty scaley looking, I am not sure if that is normal?


It's putting off new growth, but even that new growth wants to go the same way as everything else rather than the other side.

It's sort of the nature of the beast. They aren't upright growers and they do tend to grow in one direction. You could add or start another plant pointed in the opposite direction.

Scaly, woody older stems are also normal. Congratulations on successfully saving it.

Because of the rounded edges, you really do have a Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera buckleyi) or maybe an Easter cactus (S. gaertneri). Have you ever seen it bloom?

Good eye, Lucy! This is worth working to help, in my opinion, I don't see real Xmas or Easter cactus often.

Hello to you both!

Starting another plant in the opposite direction is a good idea. I've never propagated a plant before so I'd definitely have to look into that! Any suggestions would be great.

I received a jade plant in a similar situation that needs some help (it grew VERY leggy to one side) and a Kalanchoe that got root rot but may have some salvageable stems.

Yes I've seen it bloom a little bit but it seems to be more just putting out new leaves at this point. It bloomed with really pretty, mostly bright pink flowers with some white in them from what I recall. I did read that you need to take it out of the light to encourage flowers to grow though?

No, not really. If you have a room in your house that is cooler and doesn't have artificial night light, it will bloom.

Do you recall the shape of the flower? Lopsided or round?

Our three season room would probably work. It's probably 50-60 in the winter. The room it's in now is a pretty constant 70,maybe a little warmer.

This basically is exactly what they looked like.

Christmas cactus.

That room sounds good.

It is difficult to keep plants symmetrical and round when the light is only coming from 1 side. They need to be rotated often, about weekly, and that may not be enough for some things. A lot of my pots have a front and a back for this reason. Even when outside on my porch, plants arrange themselves toward the light. For something like a Christmas cactus that will always lean anyway, a different, more upright plant on the back side can be an alternative. Or putting it in a hanging pot, where the lean looks more intentional.

I'll add that it's impossible to keep plants from growing lopsided with light coming from one side, they will always lean towards the light. Get into the habit of turning the pots 1/4 turn clockwise every time you water and you'll avoid any lopsided growth. You just need to be vigilant about doing it.

That's the funny thing, I was aware of that so I intentionally placed the pot so the light was on the opposite side it was leaning hoping any new growth would offshoot that way but no luck! it seems the lean it already had was too much.

I like that 1/4 turn idea after every watering, I'll have to remember that one. I may try to start another plant on the other side by propagating a cutting, but I have no experience with that so not sure how it'll go!

I hate to disagree but this type of plant is usually lopsided. Turning any plant everytime you water is always a good idea but this one will still be lopsided.

I agree, this plant is probably beyond correcting its growth, unless you plant another one in with it and try to force it the opposite direction. Turning pots from when they're young plants is the key to getting even growth, even for Christmas/Thanksgiving cacti. I've had several that were over 10 years old and never had lopsided growth, they were always grew evenly.

Yes definitely a Schlumbergera.
If it were mine I would cut a piece of five segments from the tallest growth and maybe a piece of three or four segments off the second tallest growth and shove 'em in facing the opposite direction to the other growth.
These plants need tip pruning to make them more full and bushy imho.
Also careful with the saucer underneath. They hate 'wet feet'.