A detailed guide to the latest propagation methods for Christmas cactus, easy for beginners to understand at a glance

Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera) is an epiphytic succulent plant of the genus Schlumbergera in the cactus family. It is a common ornamental plant, cultivated in parks and flower nurseries throughout our country. It is often grafted onto Hylocereus undatus or other rootstocks to obtain vigorously growing plants. Propagation methods include cutting propagation, seed propagation and grafting propagation, among which grafting propagation is mainly used in production. Let us take a look at the propagation methods of Christmas cactus below!

Cutting propagation of Christmas cactus

For cutting propagation of Christmas cactus, select robust, thick stem segments and cut off 1 to 2 segments, place them in a cool place for 2 to 3 days, and after the cut surface is slightly dry, insert them into a sand bed. The substrate is peat and sand in a ratio of 4:1, and the bed temperature is 15 to 20°C. The humidity of the bed should not be too high, so as to avoid the cut surface becoming too wet and rotting. Rooting begins 2 to 3 weeks after insertion, and they can be potted 4 weeks later.

Seed propagation of Christmas cactus

Christmas cactus only sets fruit after artificial pollination. Indoor pot sowing is often used, with an optimum germination temperature of 22 to 24°C. The sowing substrate is a mixed soil of peat, leaf mold and coarse sand, and high-temperature sterilization is required before sowing. After sowing, cover the pot opening with glass to maintain the moisture of the potting soil. Seeds germinate 5 to 9 days after sowing. The seedlings grow slowly, so they should be managed carefully.

Grafting propagation of Christmas cactus

1. Grafting time: The grafting time can be in late spring and early summer, or late summer and early autumn, but grafting in late spring and early summer is best. In southern regions, mid-May is most suitable, as this is the peak growing season for Christmas cactus and cactus, and ideal scions and rootstocks can be selected. In addition, the temperature is suitable at this time, the compatibility between the scion and rootstock is strong, they are not prone to rotting, and the survival rate is relatively high.

2. Rootstock selection: For Christmas cactus grafting, select a one-year-old cactus branch that is strip-shaped, not too thick and fleshy but growing vigorously, and free of pests and diseases as the rootstock, with a length of 8 to 12 cm. Remove it from the mother plant, cut the lower end into a flat opening, insert it into sandy loam, and cultivate it for 2 to 3 months. Once it has survived, it can be used as a grafting rootstock.

3. Scion selection: For Christmas cactus grafting, select a robust mother Christmas cactus plant, and from it choose the current year's relatively tender terminal branch with segments as the scion, with a length of 3 to 4 cm (if the scion is too long, the growth vigor after sprouting will be weaker). Use a blade disinfected with alcohol to cut both sides of the lower part of the scion into a wedge shape, with a cut length of about 0.8 to 1.2 cm.

4. Grafting method: First, obliquely cut both sides of the first segment at the base of the scion into a duck-bill shape. The cut surface length is 1.5 to 2.5 cm, and it is best to make the cut in one stroke to facilitate survival. Then make a vertical cut at the top of the rootstock, with the width and depth of the cut slightly larger than the cut surface of the scion. Quickly insert the prepared scion into the rootstock cut and secure it. Finally, place the grafted pot in a cool, ventilated place sheltered from wind and rain, and survival can be expected in about 20 to 30 days.