How To Propagate Christmas Cactus

The Christmas cactus is a beautiful low-maintenance houseplant that blooms year after year just in time for the holidays. These long-lived plants can survive for decades and are often passed from one generation to the next. They also make wonderful gifts. Learn how to propagate a Christmas cactus from stem cuttings so you can grow your own holiday gifts and pass along family heirlooms for generations to come.

Christmas And Holiday Cacti

Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) belongs to a group of closely related plants that includes the Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) and Easter cactus (Schlumbergera gaertneri), each named for the holiday during which they typically bloom. Because their bloom time better corresponds to the holiday shopping season, most of the plants sold during the holidays are Thanksgiving cacti, not Christmas cacti, or a hybrid of the two species. Fortunately, the propagation method is the same regardless of which species or hybrid you own.

When To Propagate Christmas Cactus

Christmas cacti can be propagated any time of year, however plants root best in spring through summer. Collect cuttings one to two months after plants finish blooming. This corresponds to the ideal times to repot and prune Christmas cacti, practices that tend to produce material for propagation.

Christmas cactus plants prefer to be a bit root-bound, so they only require repotting every three to five years. Late winter to early spring is a great time to repot Christmas cacti, after they have finished blooming. During the repotting process, some broken stems are inevitable, which provides material for propagating new plants. 

Likewise, pruning provides an abundance of cuttings to propagate. Prune Christmas cacti in late spring to early summer as plants resume active growth. Pruning encourages branching and promote greater flower production come winter. It also helps balance lopsided plants and prevents them from becoming top heavy or too leggy.  

How To Propagate Christmas Cactus

Christmas cactus and its relatives are easy to propagate from stem cuttings. The flattened leaf-like “foliage” of the Christmas cacti are actually modified stems, not leaves. Like other cacti, the Christmas cactus lacks true leaves. The jointed stems, called cladodes, do the work of photosynthesis typically performed by leaves in other plants. It is these stem segments that we will
collect for propagation. Cuttings can be propagated in potting media or water.

1. Collect Stem Cuttings. Christmas cacti stems are jointed, with the stem narrowing where one segment or cladode connects to the next. Collect sections of the stem consisting of one to four cladodes by twisting, pinching, or cutting them at the joints. Young, soft tissue roots best. Do not collect older woody stems for propagating.

2. Wait for Cuttings to Cure. Allow the cuttings to dry or cure for two to three days in a well-ventilated location out of direct sunlight. This allows the stem to callus where it was cut or broken, which helps prevent disease.

3. Root Cuttings in Pots. Root cuttings in flats or small containers with good drainage. Use a well-draining rooting medium such as sand or perlite. Wet the medium, allowing it to drain before planting the cuttings. Set the cut end of the stem about 1 inch deep in the potting medium and firm the soil around the base of the cutting. Place the container in a bright location out of direct sunlight and keep the soil moist but not saturated. Cutting will root in four to eight weeks, depending on temperature.  

   Cuttings can be rooted directly in decorative pots for near-instant display. Select a container with good drainage and use sandy potting soil or a cactus mix. Plant three to five cuttings together in the pot, spacing them at least an inch apart.

4. Root Cutting in Water. An alternate method to propagate Christmas
   cacti is to root cuttings in water. Place the cut ends into one inch of water and place them in indirect light. Keep an eye on the water level, refilling as water evaporates. Roots will form after several weeks.

5. Pot New Christmas Cacti. Cuttings rooted in flats or water can be potted when the roots have grown an inch or longer. Give containers a fuller appearance by planting three cutting together in each pot. Use a well-drained, lightweight soil such as a cacti potting mix.

Ongoing Christmas Cactus Care

Christmas cacti are low-maintenance plants, but a little TLC will encourage lush, dense growth. Pinch off the end stem segment once plants start to put on new growth. This will encourage the stems to branch. Water plants when the top inch of soil is dry and begin feeding with a balanced (20-10-20) fertilizer at half strength starting about three to four weeks after transplanting into containers. 

Visit these additional resources to learn more about growing and caring for Christmas cactus and strategies to encourage your Christmas Cacti to bloom.