Good news! The leaves are small, flat, and smooth with scalloped edges. Growing and propagating Christmas cactus can be very rewarding, especially when you give them to others during the holidays. We respect your privacy. Some can be rooted in soil. When doing Christmas cactus propagating, always be sure that cuttings are taken from healthy foliage. Today I will show you how to propagate your Christmas Cactus!! You can pretty much ignore the cactus with deep but infrequent watering and it will thrive. For a complete list of what plants grow best in which climates, Gardenia put together a comprehensive guide by hardiness zone. This plant comes from the mountains of Brazil, and, unlike the typical desert cactus, it grows in a cascading shape. Water the soil lightly when … Propagating Christmas cactus is easy. Sign up for our newsletter. Privacy Policy. Plants grow and thrive differently, depending on your specific region and climate. Allow the cutting to dry a few hours before potting it up for rooting, as to avoid potential stem rot from excessive moisture. Their colorful leaves give them a one-of-a-kind look, and they’re actually pretty easy to care for once you get them going. The Christmas cactus may be watered more frequently, fertilized and given additional light at this time. There are several species of this plant, but the Christmas cactus gets its simple name because it tends to bloom around the holiday season. I find propagation is best done 2 or 3 months after flowering. In the fall when shoot growth slows down, allow the soil surface to dry between waterings to reduce the chances for root rot to occur. Each of these plants blooms around a specific holiday. In fact, when it comes to the Christmas cactus, propagating is a great way to share this wonderful plant with others. Each year your cactus pad will grow new pads and get bigger and bigger. Keep an eye on it and add more water as you see it vanishing. You can propagate a variety of different plants through this process. ChatterSource is a modern media platform that aims to provide high-quality digital content that informs, educates and entertains. Propagating Christmas Cactus. These cacti like humid conditions. You don’t want to miss a … Cactus are extremely drought tolerant and can rot if they get too much water, so err on the side of under watering. Before we get into how to root this plant, let’s get specific. Unsubscribe any time. Once potted, most cactus cuttings root in four to six weeks and are ready for transplant one month later. Christmas cacti are a very popular houseplant—and for good reason!When they bloom, they produce colorful, tubular flowers in pink or lilac colors. The Christmas cactus can also be rooted in water. You want to avoid propagating it in fall while setting bloom & of course during the flowering period. They droop as they grow long, and they’re usually topped with pretty little flowers in various shades of white, red, and pink. You can also try cutting a large part off of a big cactus and rooting it. These epiphytes (a plant that grows on top of another plant … Water sparingly until roots or new growth develop, then water as normal. Propagating Upright in Soil. It will not happen overnight! Once you see the roots starting to form, it’s time to transplant your now-rooted cuttings into a pot, where your cactus can actually grow. Fertilize your plants also by mixing in a gallon of water with a teaspoon of Epsom salt, between the months of early April to early September. Don’t allow this plant to dry out completely between watering intervals. Avoid overwatering the cactus, because it can cause root rot. It’s nearly impossible to bring something dead back to life. The Christmas cactus is a long-lived plant that is often passed from one generation to another. Something went wrong while submitting the form. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. Christmas cactus can do ok when it has become rootbound, but you should still repot your holiday cacti every four years, increasing the size of the pot by two inches each time you repot. Let us start with one of the most common types of cacti grown indoors; the Christmas cactus. The cutting should consist of at least two or three joined segments. Here’s everything you need to know about how to root a Christmas cactus. As with all Christmas cacti, do not overwater. Repotting a Christmas cactus can be a challenging operation, as you can easily hurt the plant trying to remove it from its pot when it has become rootbound. The Christmas Cactus often does better when the pot is a little smaller than you’d think it needs. This article may contain affiliate links. I repot them after about a month or so. Take cuttings of one to four segments and let them sit in a cool, dry place for two to four days. Insert the segment about a quarter of its length below the soil surface. A Christmas cactus is an easy care, flowering plant that can live for 100 years, being passed on from generation to generation. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! The best way to root a Christmas cactus in water is: The humidity in the jar will help your plant to root without rotting. However, stay away from direct sunlight, which may burn the leaves. While Christmas cactus can adapt to and be grown in low light, the plant will produce more blooms with brighter light conditions. And, once you’ve mastered the art of cactus rooting, keep at it! Watering Christmas Cactus. You can use these instructions to take cuttings from Christmas (Schlumbergera x buckleyi), Thanksgiving (Schlumbergera truncata), and Easter (Rhipsalidopsis) cactus plants.Using the instructions (below), the cutting will grow roots and grow into a new plant. To try this method, you’ll need a glass jar, some pebbles or stones, and a few cuttings from a healthy plant. And some need to be rooted in water. In my experience, new pads won’t form until the spring after you root the pad. How do you do it? Here are some tips to make sure your Christmas cactus gets bigger every year: 5 steps to stimulate root growth in a Christmas Cactus Water. The Christmas cactus’s scientific name is Schlumbergera. Placing the pot on a tray of pebbles and water can add more humidity to drier surroundings. The cutting may wilt some in the beginning, but this is normal and will eventually subside once the plant has taken to its new environment. Thank you! Growing a Christmas Cactus. 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