Bunny Ears Cactus – Indoor House Plants

Bunny Ears Cactus (Opuntia microdasys) is a perfect plant for beginning growers, the cute bunny ears cactus is an easy-care variety. These perennial plants are typically many branched with distinctive jointed, fleshy, flattened, often rounded stem-segments known as cladodes or phylloclades. As is diagnostic in the cacti, the stems of prickly pears have varying numbers of areoles a specialized axillary or lateral bud, short shoot or branch—that produce spines and hairs, and can produce new stems, flowers or fruit.

Scientific Name: Opuntia microdasys
Common Name: Angel’s-wings, bunny ears cactus, bunny cactus or polka-dot cactus.

 

 

 

 

 

How to grow and maintain Bunny Ears Cactus:

Light:
Bunny Ear Cactus grows well in full sun. Great plants with open terraces and west facing open balconies.

Soil:
Like most Bunny Ear Cactus, this specimen requests sandy soil-bases that drain easily. It is typically content with the pre-packaged cactus soil found in common hardware stores. To increase drainage for a picky plant, blend in a 1:1 ratio of perlite or bark.

Temperature:
During the spring and summer, the ideal room temperature is 70 to 75 degrees (F) during the day and 60 degrees (F) at night. During the fall and winter dormant period, reduce temperatures to 45 to 55 degrees (F). On the off chance that your room is hotter, place your cactus close to the window but not touching. The room temperature will be 5 to 10 degrees cooler beside the window.

Fertilizer:
Feed once a month with a regular fertilizer to encourage the succulent growth of leaves/pads. A complete, balanced fertilizer will work well, or purchase a plant food specially formulated for succulents.

Watering:
In summer, Water the plant well, enabling abundance water to drain. bunny ears cactus do not like to sit in water, so ensure your plant pot has several drainage holes. Including a layer of pebbles at the bottom will prevent soil from clogging up the drainage holes. Water again when the top 1/2 inch of soil is dry. In the event that your pot is on a saucer, make sure to drain water from the saucer to prevent plant rot. In Winter Water very little, at a maximum rate of once every 2 weeks. Apply only enough water to dampen the soil near the roots.

Propagation:
In spring, you can pick any fully grown pad and plant it in the sand to propagate.

Pests & Diseases:
Susceptible to scale insects and mealybugs. Generally disease free although in the poorly drained, or wet soil, can be susceptible to root rots.