Can a cactus that has grown leggy still be propagated from cuttings?

The cactus is a succulent plant that loves warmth and light, and it is covered all over with sharp spines, but it has a strong ability to counteract radiation, so many households like to keep it indoors and place it somewhere near electronic products. Doing so really can produce a decent radiation-counteracting effect. But some gardening friends have found that cacti tend to grow leggy in such an environment. So what is going on here?

In fact, keeping a potted cactus in an indoor environment is certainly fine, but we should not overlook ventilation and light transmission, especially when light is insufficient, as it easily becomes leggy, and can even spiral out of control. Cutting it off feels like a waste, yet leaving it uncut makes it rather in the way, and the potted plant is not attractive, which affects its ornamental value. So some gardening friends simply cut off the leggy stems and leaves to use for cutting propagation, so then?

Leggy growth in plants is usually caused by fairly ample water and fertilizer combined with insufficient light, and the same is true for cacti. This is especially so for a sun-loving plant like the cactus, which should be given plenty of light in its care environment, otherwise it will grow extremely leggy. As for whether we can cut off the leggy parts of a cactus for cutting propagation, it is generally not recommended.

This is mainly because the stems and leaves of a leggy cactus are usually rather tender, not mature enough in their development, and do not contain a high concentration of nutrients, so when propagated from cuttings the survival rate is relatively low. In other words, for cactus cutting propagation, it is not suitable to cut overly tender stems and leaves from the mother plant as cuttings, otherwise the survival rate will inevitably be greatly reduced.

If you really must use the leggy stems and leaves of a cactus as cuttings for propagation, it is recommended to cut off the entire stem and leaf section and then keep the lower part. After all, the lower part is more mature in development and has accumulated more nutrients, so the survival rate of cutting propagation is higher. As for the overly tender upper part of the stem and leaf, even if it is planted as a cutting, it is often difficult for it to take root and survive, and all the effort is wasted.

To avoid leggy growth in cacti, you first need to choose a spot for it where light is easy to obtain, ensuring sufficient light. At the same time, in normal care we should decide whether watering and fertilizing are necessary based on the plant's growth condition, and if watering and fertilizing can be avoided, try not to do it. Although water and fertilizer are not the main cause of leggy growth, they can also play a role in accelerating growth.