[Arid_gardener] Re: Rooting Christmas Cactus

[Olin Miller]

The desert Christmas cactus, Opuntia leptocaulis, can be propagated like
most opuntias by breaking or cutting off a section of a cane at a node,
letting the wound callus in the shade for about one week, then just planting
it.  Keeping he soil moist helps with rooting.


There are some euphorbia succulents often referred to as Christmas cacti
that can also be rooted by separating stem cuttings from the plant at a node
and placing in a light, moist rooting medium.  Using a rooting hormone
helps.  Success rate is pretty high.



Olin Miller, Master Gardener Volunteer
U of A Cooperative Extension, Maricopa County AZ
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----- Original Message ----- From: "Frank Blum" <blum_frank at hotmail.com>
Sent: Friday, February 08, 2008 2:30 PM, Subject: [Arid_gardener] (no
subject)
We have a Christmas cactus that is about fifty or sixty years old.  (It was
given to us thirty eight years ago by an old German couple that had twenty
green thumbs between the two of them.)   It spans just under 36 inches in
diameter.  In our most recent move, branches or stems of about 3/4 inches in
diameter broke off.

Can I place these stems in a packaged potting mix for succulent plants, and
hope that they will root?
I'd hate to have to wait another 10 or 20 years to get the plant up to a
decent size by propagating "leaf" cuttings.