Tropicals & Tender Perennials: Buds on my Ric Rac Cactus! Can Spring be far away?, 1 by Gitagal

Gitagal wrote:
Betty,

I have had my Ric-Rac ( Cryptocereus anthonianus) for at least 13 years and last year was the first time it bloomed. They NEED to be root bound before they will bloom. Many plants like the same conditions. Before you cut out any dead sections, just look at the fronds you are cutting out. Any small piece will root readily. Just treat it as a succulent. By that I mean let the cutting scab over a couple of days before sticking it into new soil.
My Ric-Rac is huge, unruly and sprawled in every direction. It is quite a chore to find a spot for it indoors for the winter. Usually it hanhs in front of my LR window. In the summer, I just take it outside and hang it in full sun on a pole in my back yard. I have read that it likes regular watering and fertilizing.

Every fall, I cut off a couple of the most sprawly fronds, cut them up in about 4" sections and stick a bunch of these sections in a small pot. By about this time of year--or in the next couple of months--they will all be rooted and I will have a new batch to share. I have done this for the last 2-3 years. I will have about 10-12 cuttings.

If you really want a rooted cutting, you need to send me a D-mail with your address and I will be glad to send one off to you just for postage--usually $2-$3. About half of the cuttings are already well under way and showing good new growth.

Gita

Here's a picture of "Mama Ric-rac" last summer.