How to Prune a Cereus Cactus

Pruning Cereus Cactus

• 1

  Study your plant to determine where to prune. Dip your pruning knife in alcohol to sterilize it. Use the knife to cut off dead, dying or damaged stems and branches. Prune bad branches at the segment where they join the main stem. Prune a bad stem at the bottom segment where it grows from the plant’s central crown. The best time to prune is right after flowering has finished, typically in early March.

• 2

  Prune for shape. Typically, cereus cacti are pruned to resemble a small tree with several main stems and a number of branches, or pruned to conform to a trellis. Prune stems and branches from the tip back to encourage stem branching and blooming. Blooms form on new growth. On large plants, cut back stems and branches by up to 25 percent to achieve a desired shape. On small potted plants, cut the stems back to about 6 inches long. Healthy cuttings can be partially dried, then rooted in a moist 50-50 mix of sand and potting soil to create new plants.

• 3

  Pinch or cut off the previous night’s spent flower heads during the blooming season, which lasts from October to March, to keep the plant looking nice. Cut or pinch cleanly at the point where the flower emerged from the stem or branch.