What's going on with the springtime蟹爪兰 (Disocactus ackermannii) not growing new leaves?
Summary: This article discusses why the springtime蟹爪兰 is not growing new leaves and analyzes the possible causes and solutions with some small experiences in plant cultivation. Please see the detailed introduction below.
Crab claw cactus, also known as "Floral Embellishment," "Crab Flower," and "Christmas Cactus," is one of the most common potted flower varieties in daily life. It has a graceful shape, with stems and leaves resembling the claws of a crab, green leaf color, elegant flower posture, and bright flower color, making it highly ornamental and a favorite among many gardening enthusiasts.
Crab claw cactus prefers a cool growing environment. As the weather warms up in spring, the flowering period of crab claw cactus ends, and it enters a phase of rapid leaf growth. It's almost April now, and under normal circumstances, crab claw cactus should have already grown many new leaves. However, recently many gardening enthusiasts have reported that their crab claw cacti are not growing new leaves.
If your crab claw cactus is not growing new leaves in the spring, it is recommended that you quickly check the following three areas:
1. Check the firmness of the leaves
First, water the crab claw cactus pot thoroughly. The next day, carefully observe the firmness of the leaves. Normally, after watering the crab claw cactus thoroughly on the first day, the plant absorbs enough water, and the leaves should be plump and firm to the touch on the second day, indicating a healthy plant.
If the leaves still feel soft to the touch after watering the crab claw cactus thoroughly on the first day, it means there is a problem with the roots. The roots cannot absorb enough water to supply the leaves. In this case, you should quickly remove the plant from the pot to check the roots,修剪 (修剪 = trim) any rotten or worm-eaten roots, and if necessary, spray insecticide or fungicide, then replant the seedling. Once the roots recover and start growing, the leaves of the crab claw cactus will also grow.
What's going on with the springtime蟹爪兰 not growing new leaves?
2. Check the environmental temperature
China has a vast territory, and there are significant temperature differences between different regions. Although it is already March and April, many northern regions are still quite cold. Crab claw cactus needs a relatively warm environment to grow new leaves, and the temperature must remain above 10 degrees Celsius. If the pot of crab claw cactus is placed in a too cold area with temperatures consistently below 10 degrees, it will be difficult for the plant to grow new leaves.
If the lack of new leaves is due to cold weather, gardening enthusiasts don't need to worry too much, as long as the plant is not frozen to death. As spring transitions to summer, the local temperature will eventually warm up day by day, and when the temperature remains above 10 degrees Celsius, the crab claw cactus will quickly grow new leaves.
3. Check the fertilizer
If the above two points are not a problem but the crab claw cactus still doesn't grow new leaves, then we need to check the fertilizer used for the plant.
In winter and spring, the continuous flowering of crab claw cactus consumes a lot of nutrients, and the plant often lacks nutrients in spring. Growing leaves is a very nutrient-consuming task, and if the crab claw cactus is not fertilized regularly in the spring or the wrong fertilizer is used, it can lead to the lack of new leaves.