If you have any additional care instructions I should know about (such as wrapping it in a damp paper towel), please lmk!
Bashamo257
Looks like a Christmas cactus to me too.
You got the gist of it. You should leave it sitting on top of the soil for a while until it starts running out of water inside the leaf. At that point, it will start putting out roots and be ready to get stuck in the dirt. This process could take a while though – weeks to months
muskybox
After 24-48hrs, the end you pulled off from will start to scab over. It is then time for dirt.
Chaotic_Good12
Put it in dirt immediately, no need to wait. There is nothing to ‘crust’ or seal like with taking a cutting of a MIL tongue or piece of aloe.
Don’t overwater it, no need to baby Christmas Cactus. But do make sure the soil doesn’t dry completely while it’s rooting. Can cover it with a clear cup for a bit of ambient moisture, don’t put it in direct sunlight.
You can even prop it up in a very shallow amount of water just enough to cover 1/4 of an inch of the bottom and pot when you see roots forming. There won’t be many or sturdy looking, like fine hairs.
_Laughing_Man
People say it’s easy to prop, but I had a hell of a time my first time. Christmas cactus and their cousins aren’t really even cactus, so throw your assumptions out the window.
I had the most success propagating these in water. The baby roots are very finicky and will die off if you let them dry out.
Also, because it is not a true cactus, it does not like full sun. It prefers indirect or dappled sunlight.
Luckily they are quite hard to kill. I found 4 pieces in a gutter in a rainstorm and failed to root them for 6 months. They’re thriving now. Good luck
AKjulz
I prop mine in water, and have never had one fail. Also the shape of the leaves say this is a Thanksgiving cactus (not Christmas or Easter). If propping on purpose (not just found some leaves) it works best if you have 3 leaves. Good luck!!
6 Comments
If you have any additional care instructions I should know about (such as wrapping it in a damp paper towel), please lmk!
Looks like a Christmas cactus to me too.
You got the gist of it. You should leave it sitting on top of the soil for a while until it starts running out of water inside the leaf. At that point, it will start putting out roots and be ready to get stuck in the dirt. This process could take a while though – weeks to months
After 24-48hrs, the end you pulled off from will start to scab over. It is then time for dirt.
Put it in dirt immediately, no need to wait. There is nothing to ‘crust’ or seal like with taking a cutting of a MIL tongue or piece of aloe.
Don’t overwater it, no need to baby Christmas Cactus. But do make sure the soil doesn’t dry completely while it’s rooting. Can cover it with a clear cup for a bit of ambient moisture, don’t put it in direct sunlight.
You can even prop it up in a very shallow amount of water just enough to cover 1/4 of an inch of the bottom and pot when you see roots forming. There won’t be many or sturdy looking, like fine hairs.
People say it’s easy to prop, but I had a hell of a time my first time. Christmas cactus and their cousins aren’t really even cactus, so throw your assumptions out the window.
I had the most success propagating these in water. The baby roots are very finicky and will die off if you let them dry out.
Also, because it is not a true cactus, it does not like full sun. It prefers indirect or dappled sunlight.
Luckily they are quite hard to kill. I found 4 pieces in a gutter in a rainstorm and failed to root them for 6 months. They’re thriving now. Good luck
I prop mine in water, and have never had one fail. Also the shape of the leaves say this is a Thanksgiving cactus (not Christmas or Easter). If propping on purpose (not just found some leaves) it works best if you have 3 leaves. Good luck!!