Mistletoe Cacti
Sources last read 14 September 2026.
Not yet rated How forgiving it is has not been judged here yet.
Also called Mistletoe Cactus and spaghetti cactus.
Toxicity is partly unassessed
- Not assessed for cats. This plant is not on the ASPCA list. That is not a finding of safety: none of the sources read for this site gives an answer either way. Treat it as unknown.
- Not assessed for dogs. This plant is not on the ASPCA list. That is not a finding of safety: none of the sources read for this site gives an answer either way. Treat it as unknown.
- Not assessed for people. RHS publishes no harm statement for this plant. That is not a finding of safety: none of the sources read for this site gives an answer either way. Treat it as unknown.
What the sources say about its care
- Light
- Full sun, Partial shadeRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Water
- Well-drainedRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Humidity
No source read publishes a humidity figure for any plant on this site. What follows is general guidance for foliage plants.
Most foliage plants prefer more humidity than a heated room gives; succulents are named as an exceptionPenn State Extension · read 13 September 2026- Temperature
How cold this tolerates, not what it prefers. No source read for this site publishes a preferred range for a plant indoors.
H1B — 10–15°C 10–15 °CRHS · read 13 September 2026- Toxic to cats
- Not on the ASPCA list. That is not a finding of safety.ASPCA · read 13 September 2026
- Toxic to dogs
- Not on the ASPCA list. That is not a finding of safety.ASPCA · read 13 September 2026
- Harmful to people
- No statement of harm to people is published for this plant; that absence is not evidence it is safe.RHS · read 13 September 2026
Routine care
- Watering
- Water once the soil is dry, avoiding overwatering. Water less while the plant is dormant in winter.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Mist every day with soft water. During growth, water moderately and feed monthly with a diluted low nitrogen fertiliser.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Feeding
- While growing, water moderately and give a diluted low-nitrogen fertiliser each month.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Propagation
- Propagate from stem cuttings and seed.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Sow seed at 19-24°C, or in spring or summer take stem cuttings.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Pruning
- Pruning is optional, but trimming can promote bushier growth.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Pruning is not needed, though stems can reach metres in length and may be trimmed when required.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Pests and diseases
- Can be troubled by mealybugs.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Mealybugs can occur. Diseases: usually none.RHS · read 13 September 2026
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Photographs
About the plant
Rhipsalis baccifera, commonly known as the mistletoe cactus, is an epiphytic cactus which originates in Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Florida. It is also found throughout the tropics of Africa and into Sri Lanka. This is the only cactus species naturally occurring outside the Americas. One hypothesis is that it was introduced to the Old World by migratory birds, long enough ago for the Old World populations to be regarded as distinct subspecies. An alternative hypothesis holds that the species initially crossed the Atlantic Ocean on European ships trading between South America and Africa, after which birds may have spread it more widely.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · read 13 September 2026
- Native range
- Trop. & Subtrop. America, Africa, Sri LankaWorld Checklist of Vascular Plants, June 2026 release, CC BY.Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026Tropical and Subtropical America, Tropical Africa, MadagascarNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026TropicsRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Climate
- seasonally dry tropicalWorld Checklist of Vascular Plants, June 2026 release, CC BY.Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026
- Growth form
- succulent epiphyte or lithophyteWorld Checklist of Vascular Plants, June 2026 release, CC BY.Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026Epiphyte, Herbaceous Perennial, Succulent; habit cascading, weepingNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Trailing (evergreen)RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Size
- Height 48–72 in; width 12–24 inNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Height 2.5-4 metres; spread 0.5-1 metres after 5–10 yearsRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Flowering
- Flowers green, white; blooms in spring, winterNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Flowers green in spring, summer, autumn and winter; white in spring, summer, autumn and winterRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Uses
What sources record people using this plant for. A traditional or medicinal use listed here is a record of use, not advice to eat it or treat anything with it.
Medicinal and environmental uses, including medicine, food and animal feedNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
Other Rhipsalis
More of the Cactaceae family
Bunny ears cactusLeaves go soft and slightly see-through
Christmas cactusGrowth slows and what does arrive is thin
Bunny CactusSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
Chin CactusSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
Christmas CactusSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
Christmas CactusSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
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Sources
- ASPCA · read 13 September 2026
- Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026
- NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Penn State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Wikipedia · read 13 September 2026
What this does not cover
The figures above are what published sources say, not measurements of the plant in your room. They say nothing about your pot size, your water, the season, or how far from the glass the plant stands, and those decide more than any figure here does.
Humidity has no species figure because no source read for this site publishes one, and the only temperature published for this plant is a cold floor. The simulator fills those gaps with general figures for its kind of plant, marked as general and listed on how we read sources. Where a toxicity row says the plant was not assessed, that is the absence of a finding and not a finding of safety.
If something is already wrong, the diagnosis tool asks about the soil, the window and the watering, which is where the answer usually is.