Holiday cactuses with a new shape

[Shule]

I found these on my plants quite a while ago. I was hoping they would grow new segments so I could see if they were different from the regular ones, too--but, they hadn't grown any new segments; so, I decided to take cuttings (so the cuttings could focus on doing it). I took the segment under each with it; the reason for that, other than to make rooting it easier, was because if that segment produced such once, it might do it again.

I know other people have had similar irregularities before, but the new leaves weren't the same. I'm an essentially hopeful person, though.

I just set them out to root yesterday.

Pink-flowering Thanksgiving cactus:

IMG_20210223_132618.jpg

Ditto (same cutting):

IMG_20210223_132633.jpg

Pink-flowering Christmas cactus:

IMG_20210223_132658.jpg

Ditto (same cutting):

IMG_20210223_132712.jpg

[Nan6b]

I'm looking forward to the results of this.

[Shule]

I'm looking forward to the results of this.

Well, so far, they've grown several leaves, and none of them have the same shape--but I plan to continue with this, selecting for those shapes if they show up more.

The original plants (not the cuttings), however, did grow more segments like that (but not directly above other segments like that).

[root_grow]

My easter cactus has grown a few clades that shape at various times as well. I was given a different epiphytic cactus over the summer that I think is supposed to have mostly large flat leaves, but the previous 2 owners never gave it enough light and a lot of the new growth was more triangular (in addition to other clear signs of being sun starved), so I wonder if maybe it's something about lighting that causes it for the holiday cacti as well?

[Shule]

@root_grow
I think it could be.

It kind of seems like it has something to do with plant stress. Since I've been fertilizing my plants better, and the aerial roots have disappeared, I haven't seen any new ones. Aerial roots are rumored to be a sign of stress in holiday cacti. They didn't go away until I started using Miracle Gro (but I had been using NPK and a few other nutrients before); so, perhaps it's some micronutrient, like copper, boron, molybdenum, or something. Before the MG, I had weird chlorosis issues, too, especially when the plants grew fast; that was only with my pink flowering holiday cacti, though, especially the Thanksgiving cacti. They've darkened considerably.