Most gardeners find it tough to maintain their expensive plants. As a result, the succulents do not perform well. If you are looking for an easy-care houseplant that can tolerate neglect, Bunny ear cactus is for you! It is a beginner-friendly succulent that is low-maintenance yet eye-catching. Here is the ultimate guide on Care & Propagation of the Bunny ear cactus, with some tips on repotting and much more.
| Common name | Angel’s-Wings, Bunny Ears, Polka Dot Cactus, Bunny Ears Cactus |
| Botanical name | Opuntia microdasys |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Species | microdasys |
| Origin | Mexico |
| Life cycle | Perennial |
| Plant type | Houseplant |
| Hardiness zone | 9, 10, 11 |
| Sunlight | Full Sun |
| Maintenance | Medium |
| Soil condition | Sand |
| Drainage | Well-Drained |
| Growth rate | Slow |
| Flowering period | Spring |
| Height | 2 ft. – 3 ft. |
| Width | 2 ft. – 3 ft. |
| Flower color | Gold, Yellow |
| Leaf color | Green |
| Fruit color | Lavender, Purple |
| Stem color | Green |
| Fruit benefit | Edible |
| Flower benefit | Showy |
| Garden style | Drought Tolerant Garden |
| Uses | Container |
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Opuntia microdasys (angel’s-wings, bunny ears cactus, bunny cactus or polka-dot cactus) is a species of flowering plant in the cactus family Cactaceae, native and endemic to central and northern Mexico.
The very closely related Opuntia rufida differs in having reddish-brown glochids. It occurs further north in northern Mexico, and into western Texas. Some botanists treat the two as a single species.
Opuntia microdasys form a dense shrub 40–60 cm tall, occasionally more, composed of pad-like stems 6–15 cm long and 4–12 cm broad.
Instead of spines it has numerous white or yellow glochids 2–3 mm long in dense clusters. They are barbed and thinner than the finest human hairs, detaching in large numbers upon the slightest touch. If not removed they will cause considerable skin irritation so the plants must be treated with caution.
The Latin specific epithet microdasys means “small and hairy”.
The yellow flowers appear only rarely. Despite this, it is a very popular cactus in cultivation, partly because of the young plant’s comical resemblance to a rabbit’s head. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
The bunny ear cactus requires consistent bright, direct sunlight and when grown as a houseplant, it should be placed in the sunniest spot in your home. Ideally, this cactus should receive between six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day. When grown indoors, this usually means that it should be placed in a south or west-facing window, or you can use a grow light to provide supplemental light. When grown outdoors, ensure that the cactus is not planted in a location that is not shaded.
Temperature and Humidity
Bunny ears succulent plants prefer dry and warm conditions. It is not frost-tolerant and requires less humidity to survive. This plant is hardy in zones 9a to 11b and needs humidity in the 10 to 30% range. To remove excess moisture, ensure the pot has drainage holes. Make sure the appropriate temperature is 70 to 100℉ for the active growth of your cactus. Moreover, the minimum temperature it can tolerate is 50 to 65℉.
Watering
This desert dweller is drought-tolerant and does not require frequent watering in order to survive. In fact, the bunny ear cactus is actually extremely sensitive to overwatering and prone to root rot if it is exposed to too much moisture. Allow the soil to dry out thoroughly between watering, and when in doubt, wait a bit longer before you water again. Remember that in the desert, cacti can survive weeks, sometimes even months, without water.
Soil
These cacti should be planted in sandy and well-draining soil. You can use a commercial cactus potting mix. The recommended soil blend helps the plant to drain excess water. Additionally, you can make your own soil mix as well by using a combination of regular potting soil, perlite, and coarse sand.
Fertilizing
You can periodically apply fertilizer from spring to fall, or just a few times during the summer. A good rule of thumb is to fertilize with every other watering.
It’s recommended to use a liquid fertilizer that’s low in nitrogen (ex: 5-10-10). You’ll need to dilute the fertilizer to ½ strength with water. There are also a variety of cactus and succulent fertilizers that you can use undiluted.
Don’t fertilizer your bunny cactus during the winter.
Pruning
Opuntia microdasys doesn’t need to be pruned but can be for cosmetic purposes. With a sharp, sterile knife, cleanly cut off the unwanted paddle. Keep the area completely dry until the wound has become calloused.
Propagation
The propagation process of this plant can be done in two ways:
Cuttings and division
The best time to propagate these cacti is in summers when the plant is growing. Let’s look at the steps involved in the process.
- Break a mature pad from the parent plant- To begin with, remove one of the fully grown pads from the cactus. Make sure to wear gloves as the glochids may irritate your skin.
- Set the pad aside to dry out- This step requires the base of the cutting to callous over for a day or two.
- Plant the cutting- Pot the dried pad in a container filled with a cactus potting mix or well-draining soil. Bury the cutting an inch beneath the soil.
- Place in a sunny spot- Keep the container in a location that gets a few hours of direct sunlight every day until the roots start to sprout.
- Water the plant- After propagation, it is vital to water the cactus frequently in the first year as it ensures the root system stays healthy and develops faster.
Seed
Growing bunny succulents from seeds is more challenging than from cuttings. It is because seeds are very small in size, making it difficult to place as the wind can easily blow them away. Let’s see how to plant seeds and propagate bunny succulents.
- Fill the planter with regular cactus potting soil.
- Take out the seeds with clean hands and gently sow them on top of the soil.
- Let it dry out and recover for a couple of days before watering.
- Once settled, you can start watering the plant and place it in the bright sun.
Potting and Repotting
The bunny ears cactus should be repotted every two to three years. To repot this cactus safely, ensure that you have access to a pair of thick gardening or work gloves to protect yourself from the sharp bristles. You can also use tongs to ensure that you don’t touch the cactus yourself.
Using the gloves or tongs to hold the cactus in place, gently wiggle the root ball out of the old pot and remove as much of the old soil from around the roots as you can. Then, transfer the cactus into the new pot, adding the fresh soil around the roots and patting it firmly into place.
Pests and Diseases
Growing Problems
The most common problem you’ll face is a drooping cactus. This is Opuntia microdasys’s go-to response for any kind of stress, so there are several possible causes.
Overwatering or underwatering is the first thing to investigate. Both will make the paddles soft and droopy. If you are overwatered, let the soil dry out completely before watering again (remember, this is a desert plant). If underwatering is the problem, be more consistent with your watering schedule.
Drooping can also be a sign that your cactus isn’t getting enough sunlight. Check on how much light exposure it gets throughout the day and make the needed changes. Too little sunlight can also result in stretched out paddles.
Brown or black spots may be signs of temperature damage. Your plant is probably frost-bitten or sunburned. This damage is only cosmetic but irreversible.
Common Pests
The best thing you can do to prevent infestations is to catch them early. Here’s what to look for:
Scale insects are small and hungry for plant juice. There are over 8000 species, including the Mealybug, which we’ll discuss below. Scale insects love to be warm and dry, so cacti are very appealing to them. They can make your Bunny Ears Cactus wither, droop, turn yellow and stop growing. If not controlled, they can kill your cactus and infest neighboring plants.
Mealybugs, a type of scale insect, are white pests that drain sap from the plant. They leave a white, cottony residue that may blend in with the glochids. Mealybugs will feed on Opuntia microdasys, causing it to blemish and droop.
If you see ants, you most likely have a scale insect infestation. Ants feed on the honeydew that Scale insects produce. You’ll need to remove both pests since ants will protect the scale bugs.
Scale insects and ants can be removed or deterred by rinsing the cactus with a mix of liquid dish soap and water, or insecticidal soap (avoid anything with bleach). Leave the solution on for a day, out of the sunlight, before washing it off.
If the plant isn’t heavily infested, you can apply 70% rubbing alcohol to the Scale insects individually with a q-tip. Insecticide sprays and neem oil are also efficient in eliminating these pests.
Common Diseases
Opuntia microdasys are prone to stem and root rot. This is caused by overwatering or a bacterial infection. Rotted areas of the plant may be discolored, slimy, and mushy. To prevent this, make sure the soil drains well so the plant isn’t sitting in water.
It’s difficult but possible to remove rot from the roots. Carefully remove the cactus from the soil and dust off the roots. Prune all the rotted root and plant sections with disinfected pruners. Keep the cactus dry and out of the soil until the wounds callous. Repot the cactus in new soil and a clean pot, taking extra care of the roots. Don’t water it for a week or two.
If your affected cactus is planted in the ground, check the water drainage of the soil before replanting. Help it drain better by mixing in sand at least one foot below the dugout.
If only the paddles are damaged, you can cut off the affected areas without repotting.
Sometimes, sadly, the cactus is beyond help. In this case, you can always cut off the healthy paddles and propagate them.
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