Propagating Christmas Cactus From Cuttings, Step by Step

Christmas cactus is easy to propagate from stem cuttings: pinch off a piece with 3 to 5 segments in May or June and root it in moist mix or in water. UGA says holiday cacti are easy to propagate by cuttings, taken in May or June. Penn State adds a second method, setting the cutting in water until roots form. This guide sits under our Christmas cactus care guide.

When to take cuttings

UGA says cuttings are taken in May or June. That fits the pruning timing from two of our other sources: UGA says to pinch back stems in early June to promote branching, and UF/IFAS says the last pruning should be in late spring. In other words, the trimmings from a spring or early-summer prune are your cuttings. UF/IFAS says to prune after bloom, when new growth begins, to force branching.

Our sources do not give a month for cuttings outside May and June, so we will not recommend a fall or winter cutting.

What to cut

UGA says to pinch off sections of stems with 3 to 5 phylloclades (stem segments) on each. UGA’s word is pinch, so no knife is required.

Two ways to root

Steps

1. Choose a healthy stem in May or June. UGA says cuttings are taken in May or June.
2. Pinch off 3 to 5 segments. UGA says to pinch off sections with 3 to 5 phylloclades on each.
3. Root in a moist, free-draining mix, or in water. Use a pot with open drainage holes (UF/IFAS) and a mix with perlite, vermiculite or sand. Or set the cutting in water (Penn State).
4. Keep it bright, not in direct sun. NC State says holiday cacti thrive in bright, indirect light and are intolerant of direct sun. Penn State says full sun damages them.
5. Pot up the rooted cutting. Once a good root system has developed (Penn State), plant it in a pot with drainage holes. Penn State says these cacti like to be pot-bound, so a snug pot is fine.

Growing the new plant

A new plant needs the same care as the parent. Water when the top inch of soil is dry (UF/IFAS). Give bright, indirect light (NC State). Fertilize monthly at half strength during the growing season (UGA), and stop in late summer if you want buds in fall. To get it to flower, follow the long-night routine in our not-flowering guide. Our sources do not say how long a new cutting takes to flower for the first time.

Other succulents propagate differently

Cuttings from a Christmas cactus are stem segments. For leaf and stem propagation of other succulents, with a callus step, see our succulent cuttings guide. Note that Illinois Extension’s rule for those plants, letting the cut end dry for about a week, is a source for succulents in general and not for Schlumbergera specifically.

What our sources do not say

No source gives the rooting time, a hormone, a humidity tent or a rooting temperature. UGA and Penn State agree on the basics: short sections, May or June, moist mix or water. Back to the Christmas cactus guide.