Is mistletoe a succulent? No. Is it a cactus? No. What then is "mistletoe cactus?"
(If you're curious about real mistletoe, scroll down.)
Meet mistletoe cactus
I suspect a nurseryman came up with the name hoping to create a market for various Rhipsalis species. The plant's pendant growth habit and pea-sized white or red fruit likely inspired the connection.
Native to forests of Central and South America, these subtropical cacti consist of slender, leafless, branching stems. They're not parasitic like true mistletoe; rather, they grow in moss or debris in the crooks of tree branches.
This Rhipsalis capelliformis in Wanda Mallen's collection suggests a green Cousin Itt.
My easy-care variety
My garden in Zone 9b has no greenhouse nor lathe house, so I grow few tropical plants. Even so, when I saw Rhipsalis pilocarpa at my local succulent specialty nursery, I couldn't resist giving it a try.
Rhipsalis pilocarpa blushes red. The species name refers to white hairs growing on its branches.
In three years, the plant---originally in a 4-inch pot---has grown a foot or more in length and filled in nicely. Where stems receive bright shade only, they're green; in greater sun, red. Globular fruit follow translucent white flowers.
The pot hangs in a privet tree that I've limbed-up. Horizontal branches about an arm's reach overhead are ideal for hanging potted succulents. These lovely cascades typically need protection from harsh sun in summer and frost in winter. Learn more about succulents for hanging pots.
Mistletoe cactus care and feeding
According to the New York Botanic Garden (NYBG), "despite the humid, jungle conditions of their native habitats, these cacti are adapted to grow in media that is prone to dryness. An ideal soil mix is one part perlite (for drainage) with one part potting soil, one part peat and one part coarse orchid bark (for structure and nutrition)."
In general, mistletoe cacti prefer temps above 50 F. The NYBG adds that to form flowers, they need to stay below 65 degrees F "for a month or so after flowering and again before setting buds."
Fertilize when flower buds begin to form. Apply "a tomato-type fertilizer every two weeks through the flowering period, and then monthly for the rest of the year, except for the rest period following flowering." (NYBG) Like most succulents, they're in danger of rotting if overwatered. You know you've overdone it if leaf tips turn yellow.
Meet true mistletoe
A sycamore tree hosts a green cluster of mistletoe. Branches beyond the mass are spindly, due to being deprived of nutrients.
"Real" mistletoe includes 1,500 species native to Europe, the British Isles, Australia and North America. The epiphytic (tree-inhabiting) plant pierces tree bark and limbs with hairlike roots. These ingest water and nutrients, causing branches to die.
It's anyone's guess how a parasitic plant became associated with kissing on Christmas. Perhaps it's because mistletoe generally grows high overhead, and forms a large, leafy green ball that's easy to spot and to stand beneath.
As for mistletoe cactus, by all means kiss someone below a pot of it.
If you'd like to grow mistletoe cactus, Mountain Crest Gardens sells Rhipsalis pilocarpa. During the holidays, Amazon offers handpicked mistletoe twigs as well as decorative artificial ones. (Affiliate links.)
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