Bunny ears cactus

Bunny ears cactus: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Bushy cactus about 50 cm tall and wide, built up of flat pads that spread out.

Pads

Flat, oval to round, velvety green pads about 10–15 cm long, covered in small tufts.

Glochids

The tufts consist of tiny, loose, barbed bristles in golden yellow, white or reddish brown; they stick easily in the skin at the slightest touch. There are no long spines.

Flower

Yellow flowers about 4–5 cm across, mainly on older plants in the wild; it rarely flowers indoors.

Fruit

In the wild round, red to purple fruits about 2 cm across follow; they are rarely seen indoors.

Plants: March–April

Why grow it?

• A funny, striking shape: the pads look like rabbit ears and are a real eye-catcher.
• Very little work: little water, no pruning and hardly any feeding.
• Grows readily and fills a dish or large pot within a few years.
• Easy to propagate: a detached pad roots readily.
• Fits a sunny, modern or desert-style display with other succulents and cacti.

Bunny ears cactus: where does it grow best?

• Full sun, for example on a south- or west-facing windowsill. In summer it may go outdoors, under cover and sheltered from rain.
• Very free-draining, mineral mix: cactus compost half and half with coarse sand, fine grit or pumice; neutral.
• Dry: let the soil dry out completely between waterings and never let water stand in the saucer.
• A roomy, stable pot where nobody brushes past it, as the glochids stick into the skin quickly; keep it away from children and pets.

Light

Sunny

Potting soil

Cactus compost

Acidity

Neutral

Watering

Sparingly

Size

0.5 m tall, 0.5 m wide

Temperature

Minimum 5 °C

Goes well with

• Echinopsis: A round cactus with large flowers, a nice contrast with the flat pads.
• Agave: A sturdy grey-blue rosette next to the velvety green pads.
• Aloe: Fleshy, calm foliage for the same sunny, dry spot.
• Echeveria: A low rosette in blue-grey tones at the foot of the plant.

Bunny ears cactus: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April.

1. Repot in March–April, at the start of growth; usually every 2–3 years.
2. Wear sturdy leather gloves and also use a rolled-up newspaper or a piece of foam as a handle; the glochids go through thin gloves.
3. Choose a wide, heavy pot with a drainage hole; terracotta dries out faster than plastic.
4. Fill with a mix of cactus compost and coarse sand or grit, set the plant at the same depth as before and firm lightly.
5. Do not water for about a week after repotting so that damaged roots can heal.

Care

Water

From April to September water when the soil is completely dry, roughly every 1–2 weeks depending on the heat; let the excess drain away. From October to March almost no water or none at all.

Feeding

From May to August, once a month, give a weak dose of cactus feed (half of the recommended strength). Not in winter.

Light

Plenty of sun. After winter, get it used to strong sunlight gradually, or it will get yellow or brown sunburnt patches.

Turning

Give the pot a quarter turn now and then so that the plant grows evenly instead of leaning towards the light.

Repotting

Every 2–3 years in spring, in fresh, mineral mix, with gloves and a rolled newspaper.

Tip: Repot with thick leather gloves and a rolled newspaper as a handle, and keep a roll of sticky tape to hand: it lifts loose glochids out of the skin.

Bunny ears cactus: when to prune it?

When: A bunny ears cactus is not pruned. In spring or summer you can remove a pad to keep the shape or to propagate.

How:

• Wear sturdy leather gloves and hold the pad with folded newspaper or tongs.
• Gently twist a pad loose at the joint, or cut it off with a clean knife.
• Let the wound dry in the open air, on both the plant and the pad.
• Use the loose pad as a cutting; see propagation.

Caution: The glochids come loose at the slightest touch and stick in skin and eyes. Do not touch the plant without sturdy gloves and protect your eyes.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Pad cuttings

In spring or summer twist off a healthy pad. Let it dry for 1–3 weeks until the wound has formed a skin and set it about one third deep in a dry, sandy mix, upright and supported with pebbles if needed. Give a small drop of water only after 2–4 weeks, once it has rooted.

Seed

In spring sow on a sandy mix, barely covering the seed, under clear film at 20–25 °C in a bright place. The seedlings grow slowly; in practice you use pads.

Bunny ears cactus: how does it get through the winter?

• Not hardy in Belgium: keep it above 5 °C. In winter keep it cool, at 5–10 °C, and as bright as possible.
• Keep the soil dry or almost dry from October to March; a few shrivelled pads in winter are normal.
• Do not leave it in a cold draught or against a cold window: cold plus wet causes rot and brown patches.

Diseases and pests

• Rot: Soft, dark or slimy pads or base from too much water or watering in the cold. Stop watering, cut away rotten parts with a clean knife back to healthy tissue and root a healthy pad as a cutting.
• Shrivelled pads: Normal in winter. In summer it means thirst or root problems: water when the soil is dry and check the roots if that does not help.
• Stretching: Thin, pale, pointed new pads mean too little light. Move it to a sunnier spot; the stretched pads unfortunately stay that way.
• Mealybug and scale: White, cottony tufts or brown scales between the glochids. Remove them with gloves and long tweezers or a cotton bud and repeat after a week.
• Corky patches: Brown, corky patches on the pads, especially after cold, damp spells. They are harmless but do not go away; keep it drier and warmer.

Through the year

• January: Rest: dry and cool (5–10 °C), as bright as possible. No water.
• February: Rest: dry and cool. No water.
• March: Repotting possible, with gloves. No water yet.
• April: Repot. Start watering when the soil is dry. Take cuttings.
• May: Water when the soil is dry. Start feeding.
• June: Water when the soil is dry and feed. Plenty of sun and fresh air.
• July: Water when the soil is dry and feed.
• August: Water when the soil is dry. Last feed.
• September: Last watering when the soil is dry. No more feeding.
• October: No more water. Keep cool and bright (5–10 °C).
• November: Rest: dry and cool.
• December: Rest: dry and cool.

Did you know?

• The genus name Opuntia is derived from the ancient Greek town of Opus.
• The species name microdasys comes from Greek: mikros means small and dasys hairy or shaggy, after the tufts on the pads.
• A detached pad can root and grow into a new plant, so a pad that has fallen off need not be thrown away.