Follow these exclusive care tips to Make your Christmas Cactus Bushier just in time for a dazzling holiday display indoors!
Famous for its pink and white holiday blooms, this succulent’s luscious segmented leaves can instantly liven up your home. But even this easy houseplant gets leggy with neglect. So, beyond its festive flowers, follow our tips to make your Christmas cactus bushier!
How to Make Christmas Cactus Bushier
1. Pinching
Christmas cacti can get a little leggy over time, but pinching encourages the foliage to branch out. To stimulate growth at those points, cut 1-2 segments from the tips of a healthy stem, but not more, as it can stress the plant.
Hold the segment between your thumb and forefinger and gently twist to remove it. Avoid this step when the plant is in bloom in fall or winter, as this can disrupt bud formation. Pinch your Christmas cactus in spring or early summer for bushier growth.
2. Pruning
While pinching involves using your fingers to remove a few fresh pads, pruning is more of a corrective action. Look for long, leggy, woody or damaged segments and prune those first. These weak stems usurp the energy needed to produce healthy foliage.
Limit pruning to about 20-30% of the plant’s total growth per session. This way, your Christmas cactus can focus on recovery and gradually push out fresh foliage. Prune after your plant has flowered, around winter and spring.
Tip: The segments you remove during pruning can be used for propagation. Let the cut ends callous for 24-48 hours before planting them in a well-draining cactus mix.
3. Propagating in the Same Pot
Propagating cuttings in the same pot as the mother plant can help your Christmas cactus appear fuller and bushier. Plant 2–3 cuttings along the edges of the pot to avoid overcrowding. Ensure the cuttings are inserted about an inch deep.
Remember to use a pot one size larger than it typically needs, as multiple cuttings will compete for resources in a single pot. Monitor your plant’s growth and adjust watering, light, and fertilize accordingly.
4. Sequential Pruning
We’re back to pruning, except this time, you snip away bit by bit over specific intervals instead of one mega prune session. With sufficient gaps for healing, this can encourage your plant to sprout new shoots at the base of the cut segments consistently over time.
Again, do this after the blooming season so your plant can heal. This method is especially helpful if your succulent is becoming leggy and sparse. Focus on the skinny stems, and instead of hacking away, gently twist and remove a couple of pads.
Wait 4-6 weeks for the cactus to adjust, then repeat the steps on other leggy sections. Christmas cactus is a slow grower, so removing too many pads will shock the plant and cause it to take a long time to recover. So remember not to over-prune!
5. Use Epsom Salt
Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) can also help your Christmas cactus grow bushier, as magnesium is essential for chlorophyll production and robust growth. But avoid overuse, as it can lead to nutrient imbalances and interfere with calcium and potassium uptake.
Mix a teaspoon of Epsom salt in a gallon of water and feed it to your plant once during the growing season. Use sparingly and in combination with other fertilizers.
6. Feed with Other Fertilizers
Apart from Epsom salt, your succulent may enjoy an occasional balanced fertilizer treat with an NPK ratio of 10-10-10. Use a water-soluble feed in half of the recommended strength every month during the growing season. You can also try these potent Christmas cactus fertilizers.
Also, try organic options like compost tea or diluted fish emulsion for gentle, harm-free nourishment. These natural fertilizers provide essential nutrients and improve soil microbial health, giving you a bushier Christmas cactus.
Remember not to fertilize during the dormant period between fall and winter. Here’s a detailed article on how to fertilize your holiday cactus.
7. Mild Stress to Wake Up
While too much strain is harmful, mild stress can act like a gentle wake-up call, coaxing your succulent to grow and branch out. For a few weeks, pull back on watering briefly or expose the plant to slightly cooler temperatures—around 50-55 F (10-13 C).
This may trigger the plant to produce more growth hormones, thus making it fuller and bushier. However, we have already listed better ways to make your Christmas cactus bushier. If all else fails, try this only as a last resort!
