The easy-care Christ thorn does not need winter rest, but it does need dry rest. During this time it can be kept a little cooler than usual. However, if the Christ's thorn is not watered enough, it will lose its leaves.
How should you care for the Christ thorn in winter?
In order to overwinter the Christ thorn successfully, you should keep it dry for at least four weeks by reducing watering and offering a maximum of ten hours of light per day. Fertilizing is not necessary during dry rest.
What does “dry rest” mean?
The so-called dry rest is a water-poor period that recreates the dry season in the Madagascan homeland of the Christ thorn. Without a certain period of drought, the Christ thorn will not bloom. So for at least four weeks you should reduce watering and give your Christ thorn a maximum of ten hours of light at the same time.
The most important things in brief:
- be sure to reduce the amount of watering for a while
- Simultaneously reduce the exposure time
- do not fertilize during dry rest period
- no flowering without drought rest
Tip
In contrast to many other plants, the Christ thorn does not need winter rest but rather a dry rest period. Without this water-poor period it will not bloom.
