One more thing. In my research here and on other sites I have found some conflicting information on one recommendation, which is repotting. If someone wouldn't mind clarifying:

Some people have said these plants must be rootbound, stay in the same pot and that has certainly been my experience until now. These have been thriving in the same pots for years. Other people say that they should be repotted when the arms fall off and the new soil should be bark and some others say no, use african violet mix and still others say something called "grit" (not sure what that is).

Sorry, but this is a little confusing to me. I've never done anything special except water and feed all of my plants (it looks like a jungle in here haha) and make sure the cat doesn't eat them. They always seemed so happy when I did very little to them.

Anyway, thanks again.

Hi there,

Pls. forget the grit, that doesn't apply here. I'm one of the people who advocates African Violet soil w/ additional 30-40% perlite or pumice.

Years ago, I too used C&S mix, which I later realized is too hard & heavy for these plants which in nature, grow in the crotches of tree branches where they get little soil if any, mostly leaf debris & animal/bird droppings that fall on them.

Could it be that the soil has haardened off to the point where the plant can't drink at all? (the water runs down the inside of the pot btwn the pot & the hardened off rootball.)

"they were planted in succulent soil a zillion years ago, so soil is ok;"

If this is the case, the soil is likely FAR from OK, as in EXHAUSTED & entirely depleted of nutrients. Soils don't last forever. I tend to change the mix in these every year or 2. Whatever you use, pls. avoid peat or you'll have to re-do it very soon.

Good that you did some reading, there's a tremendous amount of info. on these plants to be had around here.

Ha! Cross-posted!
Sorry for the redundancy, I didn't see that Karen had posted! Duplicate information never hurts, though!
We both agree...Beware the Peat!

Karen, both Pumice and Perlite are considered *grit*... ;)

Josh

Ooops Josh, sorry I hand't known that both are considered grit. Is that a Calif. reference? I've never have heard that in these parts.

Sounds like the problem is solved. Repot. My neighbor had one that did the same thing. We couldn't figure it out until she told me she hadn't repotted it for 25 years! I've no idea how it lived that long. Or looked so good.

Josh, you're sure right about that AV mix here in the humid south, it kind of just disappeared LOL.

Tally HO!

I'm amazed at how long these plants can thrive/survive in cramped conditions...
Thankfully, they have small root-systems.

Josh

This same thing started happening to my Christmas cactus... but recently after I repotted it. It’s been four months since I did and there was never any issue until 3-4 days ago, when about 90% of the branches just dropped off without warning. No spots on leaves, no wilting etc. the pot I moved it to is just slighttly larger than the one it was in, and I used the same soil with a bark mix added. No overwatering either, as it gets watered once a week, and only a misting. I’m panicking because it was my grandmother’s and it’s like 50 years old. I’ve got clippings going... but what should I do to save it?

Pls show a pic, we really need to see it. Something causes it to drop branches. Could be too much water & I don't mist mine. Pls say what kind of mix was the 'same soil'.

I have a big Hatiora gaertneri dropping pads right now, it seems all my big plants do it at one time or another. I'm just letting the plant go on, for all I know its eliminating waste.

I had an amazing Christmas Cactus for 20 years that was huge, healthy, and full of blossoms every year--until we installed a wood burning fireplace! I was desolate when all of the limbs dropped off that winter. Now I keep my precious plants upstairs, but have discovered the Christmas Cactus doesn't appreciate being next to a cold, NJ window. The Easter Cactus doesn't seem to mind.

I am having a similar issue with my Xmas cactus, and right at the end of blooming at that. Two arms started wilting and then dropped off. Inspection of first arm where it broke off showed a dried brown woody stem - did not have any moisture. Second arm broke off somewhere above the root (i say this because the base of that arm looks to be just a regular “leaf”, not same as first arm). I wasn’t sure what was going on, and it had started to bloom (and both arms did in fact bloom), so i’d been giving them the stink eye for a week or two when it finally ”sad-dropped” them both. I missed getting a photo of the first arm (which was smaller anyway) but here are photos of the second arm. Last photo this leaf is dry and hard at the end.

can anyone shed light (pun intended)?