Christmas Cactus

Christmas cactus photo by Christine Schmidt

What is Christmas cactus?

Christmas cactus is a decorative plant with pointed leaves and with flowers that usually bloom in December, when the days are short. Christmas cactus flowers can be a variety of colors, including red, pink, purple and orange.

Christmas cactus is not harmful to eat.

What happens if you swallow a piece of Christmas cactus?

Eating a small piece of a Christmas cactus will not cause any symptoms.

If a child or pet swallows a large enough piece they may choke on it.  

What should I do if someone swallows a piece of Christmas cactus?

If someone has swallowed part of a Christmas cactus, give them some water to wash out the taste. If you are worried, call the poison center at 1-800-222-1222, chat online or text POISON to 85511.

How can I prevent plant poisonings?

• Know what plants are in your home or yard and find out if they are poisonous.
  • You can take a piece of a plant to a local greenhouse, garden center, nursery or agricultural extension office to have it identified.
  • Once you know what plants you have, contact the poison center to find out if they are poisonous. Call 1-800-222-1222, chat online or text POISON to 85511.
• Avoid having poisonous plants in your home if you have young children or pets, or keep the plants up high out of reach. Remove poisonous plants from your yard.