- Author: Erin Mahaney
The Christmas cactus, Thanksgiving cactus, and Easter cactus are tropical ephiphytes with spectacular blooms. (An epiphyte is a plant that grows on other plants but isn't a parasite.) These “holiday cactus” generally look similar and require similar care, but bloom at different times. After enjoying your blooming holiday cactus, it is a good time to consider whether it needs pruning. Some cactus eventually become too large or leggy or lopsided. Pruning the plant will result in a fuller, bushier plant that will result in more blooms. Plus, it provides an opportunity to propagate more plants to give to friends and family!
The best time to prune a holiday cactus is right after it has bloomed and before it actively begins growing. For example, after a Christmas cactus finishes blooming and the plant has had a rest period, it will begin actively growing in March or early April. Pruning the plant during this period will encourage the plant to branch out when it begins to actively grow.
To prune a holiday cactus, simply twist the stem at the narrow joint between leaf segments. If the stem is thicker, use a knife or pruners. To shape the plant, lightly prune a few segments. To reduce the plant's size, remove up to one-third of the plant every year. The plant can be cut back harder, but that may result in a scruffy-looking plant until it branches out again. It just depends on your goal and aesthetic tolerance.
Now what to do with all those stem cuttings? The holiday cactus is very easy to propagate from cuttings. One easy way is to place a cutting with at least 2 “joints” or sections in a jar of water with the water level high enough to wet the bottom of the cutting, but not so high that it submerges the entire cutting. Some people put rocks at the bottom of the jar to help position the cutting. Place the jar in a location with bright light and add more water when needed. After several weeks (perhaps as many as 8 weeks), roots will appear. Once the roots are well developed, plant the cutting in a pot with a good, well-draining soil mix. Alternatively, plant the cutting directly in the soil instead of starting it in a jar of water. Let the cutting dry out for 2-3 days and then plant it in a pot. Keep the soil moist, but not wet. After 2-3 weeks, new growth will appear. Place several cuttings in one pot to create an instant full pot. It's easy!
![photo by Erin Mahaney photo by Erin Mahaney](https://ucanr.edu/blogs/USS/blogfiles/65812.jpg)