This particular plant is the perfect
plant for the novice gardener. Bunny Ears Cactus is also the perfect specimen
for a neglectful gardener. This plant is also called angel’s wings, has ease of
care combined with an original appearance. Also the thick pads of Bunny Ears
Cactus are adorned with fuzzy glochids, or short bristles, that resemble the
fur of rabbits and it grow in earlike pairs. Even a beginner can learn how to
grow this plant and enjoy the soft appearance of the plant without a lot of
typical houseplant fuss.
Furthermore, the Bunny ears cactus
(Opuntia microdasys) originated in Mexico and is also a denizen of arid,
desert-like areas. Without been told growing bunny ears cactus is as simple as
mimicking its native regional conditions. If you actually have a dry, low
humidity home and plenty of sunny exposure, this plant might be the perfect
plant for you. Bunny ears forms a two to three foot tall plant with a spread of
four to five feet in its native habitat. In the home, it is a slow growing
plant that will likely reach two feet in height and have about the same width. Bunny
ears cactus makes an excellent container plant with its paired three to six inch
long pads, which start out a rosy red and deepen to bright green. One thing
about this plant is that it does not develop spines, Instead it grows glochids,
which are short whitish brown prickles. These still have the ability to bite,
so make sure you apply caution when handling the cactus. If you are actually lucky,
the plant may produce two inch wide creamy yellow flowers in summer, followed
by globular purple fruits.
Steps on how to grow
Bunny Ears Cactus
As like most succulents plants, you
can easily start new bunny ears plants with a pad taken from the cactus. Make
sure you use extreme caution when removing a leaf because the glochids dislodge
easily and are very difficult to remove from the skin. You can use thick gloves
or newspaper to pick up the pad. Make sure you allow the end to callus for a
few days and then insert into cactus soil. Make sure you use a good cactus mix
for growing bunny ears cactus, or you can make your own with 40 percent potting
soil, 40 percent sand and 20 percent peat moss. Don’t forget that the pad
usually roots within a few weeks. This plant requires a well-drained container
for indoor use.
How to care for Bunny
Ears Cactus
These particular plants are a
gardeners dream for their low maintenance and interesting appearance. Don’t
forget that water can be the death of the plant but it does need consistent
moisture during the growing season. Make sure you water the plant when the top
one inch of soil is dry. Also allow the water to drain out of the pot and
remove any excess from the saucer. During fall and winter you can water lightly
only every three to four weeks. You can fertilize the plant every other water
period during spring and summer with a diluted houseplant food or cactus
formula. Bunny ears cactus will be beleaguered by pests such as mealybugs and
scale insects. You can combat these with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol. This
plant should be repotted every one to two years. Make sure you wait at least a
week after repotting to water the plant.
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