Overgrown Christmas cactus - Ask Extension
I have a Christmas cactus that is over twenty years old, and i really think it would benefit by being split. I don't feel comfortable doing it myself,...
Knowledgebase
Overgrown Christmas cactus #813544
Asked October 07, 2022, 3:03 PM EDT
I have a Christmas cactus that is over twenty years old, and i really think it would benefit by being split. I don't feel comfortable doing it myself, as I would hate to kill it, but it seems unhealthy and is very messy. Any suggestions about what to do with it would be greatly appreciated.
Ross County Ohio
Expert Response
Hi Julie,
It's great that your Christmas cactus is over 20 years old, but that's still just a "young adult" for these plants, which can live to be over 100!
From the photo you sent, it looks like this plant has grown overly large for the pot it is in, and may be having trouble supporting the weight of its own branches. That may be contributing to the messiness that you mentioned, where it is dropping parts, and separating in the center. These plants do not need to be divided or split, but they do need careful pruning after blooming in order to stay bushy and neat. You can find information on timing of pruning and pruning procedure at this link: https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=39401. There is also a lot of good information about this plant's needs at this link:
https://extension.umn.edu/houseplants/holiday-cacti#common-issues-1431367.
If this plant regularly blooms, then you won't want to prune until after the blooms are done. In the meantime, you can help it thrive by providing a localized source of humidity (this plant comes from the rainforest and likes high humidity). Folks often put a tray of pebbles under the pot, with water in the pebbles only up to the bottom of the top layer of pebbles. This water evaporates, keeping the air right around the plant more humid.
If you have not repotted this plant recently, you may want to prepare to do that as well. These plants seem to be happy with being repotted about every three years or so. There is some information about this here: https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=39401. Note that the choice of potting medium is very important - you may wish to look for one specifically made for succulent plants.
With eventual pruning and repotting, your Christmas cactus should stay with you for many more years!
Best,
It's great that your Christmas cactus is over 20 years old, but that's still just a "young adult" for these plants, which can live to be over 100!
From the photo you sent, it looks like this plant has grown overly large for the pot it is in, and may be having trouble supporting the weight of its own branches. That may be contributing to the messiness that you mentioned, where it is dropping parts, and separating in the center. These plants do not need to be divided or split, but they do need careful pruning after blooming in order to stay bushy and neat. You can find information on timing of pruning and pruning procedure at this link: https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=39401. There is also a lot of good information about this plant's needs at this link:
https://extension.umn.edu/houseplants/holiday-cacti#common-issues-1431367.
If this plant regularly blooms, then you won't want to prune until after the blooms are done. In the meantime, you can help it thrive by providing a localized source of humidity (this plant comes from the rainforest and likes high humidity). Folks often put a tray of pebbles under the pot, with water in the pebbles only up to the bottom of the top layer of pebbles. This water evaporates, keeping the air right around the plant more humid.
If you have not repotted this plant recently, you may want to prepare to do that as well. These plants seem to be happy with being repotted about every three years or so. There is some information about this here: https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=39401. Note that the choice of potting medium is very important - you may wish to look for one specifically made for succulent plants.
With eventual pruning and repotting, your Christmas cactus should stay with you for many more years!
Best,
