Then, as painful as it might be, throw the cuttings out. Woody-stemmed cuttings are more difficult to root than young ones are, and this isn’t prime rooting season (in the Northern Hemisphere) now.

I think hes trying to say a picture is worth 1000 words. If we got one to see the plant, we could help you more.

Not saying that in the least, Rob.

I guess I didn't phrase it right. I can take cuttings from the ends of the branches that aren't woody if I need to start a new plant from scratch; I just wondered if I cut back the branches of the mother plant to a couple inches from the base if they'd re-sprout the way some garden shrubs will if you're trying to renovate an old one and you cut it back hard. My gut feeling is that it won't, but I thought maybe somebody here might have tried it.

I haven't got any pictures handy and it's dark out, I can take one tomorrow if you really need one.

The base will sprout, but I think starting over with a nice full pot of cuttings will give you a better looking plant. As Cactusmcharris says, this is not prime rooting season, so as a kind of insurance you could maybe keep the old base till the cuttings have rooted. Separate them between segments, and let them dry out a day or two before you stick them in the soil. No roots, no water, but you can mist them a bit.

ww, like gd, I think you'll likely get new growth from the base, with perhaps a little new growth from the cut branches. We could use a pic, but it doesn't sound like we really need one (full disclosure - I've been wrong before).

Warning her of the dangers ahead if she listens to me is the least I could do, eh?

As a good Canadian I can say only one thing: sorry.

I too think you'd get new growth at the base, but likely the base looks kinds of ratty w/ its corkiness, that won't go away.

If it was mine, I'd start several pots of cuttings from the ends of branches, aiming to combine them into a bigger, fuller pot over time.

If you could favor us w/ a pix so we can see what it WAS like, corkiness & all. I've never seen a large one myself.

I've never grown this plant more than a week or so, have never rooted them, but I root Holiday cacti (Xmas & Thanksgiving) whenever I wish, season doesn't seem to matter to them at all.

I'm kind of embarrassed to attach these pics, they look so bad. Like I said, it's been falling out of the pot all summer but there's been too much going on to deal with it. (It hasn't actually been living in that plastic pail.)

I might have answered my own question, too. I actually took some notes when I got it (in 1999); somebody brought a big plant in and split it up and I took one; according to my notes the original re-potted plant didn't survive but I also took some cuttings and they did. As you can see, look at the size of it. It blooms, too. Tough plant.

So anyway, I always feel like any plant that went to the trouble to make that kind of root system and woody branches ought to be able to take advantage of it to get going again if you prune it back hard, but I guess that's not how it works with these kinds of succulents. Is it worth potting up the base and seeing what happens? Has anybody ever had any luck with that? I guess I will start some cuttings too, just to be safe.

It would add so much to the story if it HAD been living in the yellow pail, though!

Seriously, don't worry about it. It can be made better, just not overnight.

Is the soil very porous?

At any rate, I'd nurse it through the winter (unless your greenhouse is tropical) and do the cutting (which I now see would be beneficial) in the spring, which is also the time to do the cuttings, if any are wanted. A repot into fresh, porous soil, some warmth and sun and humidity and air movement and you'll have it growing new shoots all over.