The Bunny Ear cactus is a popular succulent plant that requires minimal care. While the cacti are relatively low maintenance, there are some steps you can take to ensure your bunny ear cactus thrives. The following article will outline everything from growing it indoors and outdoors, what type of soil they need when to water them, and more!
Physical Features: What Does the Bunny Ear Look Like?
The bunny ear cactus is so named because of its unique ‘ears.’ The ears are the two points at the top. There are several types of ear shapes, including straight up and down and inward-facing. It’s recommended that you purchase a young plant for indoors, as older plants can get quite large (6 feet or more). Young plants will stay smaller than 2 feet in height and width.
Flowering/Blooming Season:
The bunny ear cactus has a long blooming season. It begins in early to mid-spring and continues until late fall. The flowers that appear are usually yellow, orange, or red and can be up to 1 foot across! The larger the plant, the more significant number of flowers it will produce at one time.
Pollination: How Do You Pollinate a Cactus Flower?
Bunny ears flower for pollination intermittently over several weeks. To ensure successful pollination, it’s recommended that you shake or beat the plant quickly to mimic the effect of an animal moving past it. This will encourage cross-pollination and increase your chances of getting some (although they’re not always necessary for fruit production).
Planting: How and Where Should You Plant a Bunny Ear Cactus?
When you’re ready to plant your bunny ear cactus, you need to pick out a good quality potting soil (sandy one, but holds moisture) or soilless mixture. For outdoors, it’s recommended that you pick an area that gets at least 6 hours of sunlight per day.
This ensures the best results in terms of size and flowering potential. When it comes to watering, be sure to only water when the top 1/2 inch is dry; giving too much water can cause root rot and reduce blooming ability.
Helpful Hint: Additional Light during the Winter Months! If your bunny ear cacti do not get enough sunlight during the winter months, consider supplementing with grow lights. To maximize their growth potential, place the morning on an automatic timer to give your cacti 12 hours of sunshine per day.
Size: How Big Does It Get?
If you care for your bunny ear properly (watering only when it’s dry and providing sufficient sunlight), it will reach a maximum size of around 2 feet in width and height. This is only if you provide ideal conditions. However, most people who purchase this type of cacti opt to keep them small, so they can be displayed indoors while still having the appearance of having spines.
Growth Problems: What Do I Do When My Bunny Ear Cactus Doesn’t Thrive?
If your bunny ear cactus isn’t growing and thriving, not to worry! There are several common reasons why this happens:
· Poor water drainage in soil – when soil is kept soggy for too long, the plant will begin to rot from the roots up. Be sure there’s a hole in your pot that allows excess water to drain out to fix this issue. This problem can also occur if you add too much water at a time. The plant needs time for its roots to adjust to any additional watering. If you rush it, chances are good they’ll begin to look droopy or diseased a few days after watering due to poor drainage.
· Not enough sunlight – Bunny ears are sun lovers. If yours is not flowering, it’s likely because your plant isn’t getting the appropriate amount of the sun each day. Be sure to move or rotate to another location if it doesn’t get at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day.
Bunny Ear Cactus Care & Maintenance:
There are a few critical factors in determining whether or not your bunny ear cactus is thriving. The first factor to consider is the color of the leaves and stems. If your cacti look wilted, then that means it needs water; if the plant has light green branches that look wrinkly, then it probably doesn’t have enough watering. If the leaves are dark green but have brown tips, then the humidity may be too low.
Bunny ear cactus also need adequate lighting to thrive indoors. When it comes to watering, you can water your plant once or twice a week. Another important consideration is that the air should be well-ventilated around your bunny ear cacti.
Where To Buy:
Bunny Ear Cactus Habitat, Growing & Planting Location:
One of the best things about caring for your bunny ear cacti are the limited space they require. This is one little succulent! The plant can fit inside any sized home or apartment quickly, and it can even survive in a dormitory setting. If you do not have room to grow your bunny ear cactus outside, you can also keep them inside your house near a window that receives plenty of sunlight.
Two types of soil will work for this particular type of succulents; however, if you want to avoid overwatering or root rot, it is best to use good quality soil mixed with sand.
Light Requirements:
One of the most noteworthy things about caring for a bunny ear cactus is that it thrives in various lighting conditions inside and outside. If you place your cacti outdoors, make sure they receive full sun from morning to midafternoon. The plant will also thrive if you keep them indoors on a window sill to get plenty of sunlight throughout the day.
Growth Rate:
This particular type of succulents has an average growth rate, which means it will take around two years to reach its mature height while producing flowers at this time as well. However, some people have reported more rapid growth, while others have stated their bunny ear cactus took longer to grow taller. It all depends on various factors, such as the location and care of your plant.
Spring Care:
The best time to plant your bunny ear cactus is in the spring. Remember that this particular type of succulent needs well-draining and porous soil, and it also thrives when you keep it moist at all times. It’s not a good idea to over-water your cacti because they will rot from being too wet, so be sure to water them only when the top layer of soil has dried out.
Summer Care:
One of the best things about caring for a bunny ear cactus is that it can survive in various temperatures inside and outside. This makes it an excellent summer plant as well as a winter plant.
What To Plant With:
It’s best to plant your bunny ear cactus with other types of succulents or drought-resistant plants such as agave or aloe, as these types of plants require little water as well. Be sure to give your new succulent some time before planting them together; allow at least one year for your bunny ear cactus to settle into its new environment and surroundings.
Fall Care:
One of the things you need to keep in mind when caring for a bunny ear cactus is that they do not like direct winter sunlight. This means it’s best to either put them in an area where they receive indirect light or move them indoors near a window. It is also essential that you water your plant sparingly during this time; give your cacti only enough water to take the dryness out of the soil, and then stop watering entirely once winter begins.
Winter Care:
If you live within USDA growing zones 9-10, it will be safe to plant your bunny ear cactus outside year-round. For those living in a colder climate, the best thing to do is dig up your bunny ear cactus from its pot and bring it inside during the cold winter months.
Make sure that after you have moved the plant indoors, they receive plenty of sunlight throughout the day to acclimate to their new environment quickly. If you want to keep them outdoors for more than just spring, summer & fall – make sure they receive full sun from morning to midafternoon!
A great way to tell if your bunny ear cacti are not receiving enough sunlight while outside is if their leaves are beginning to wilt (you can also use this method for determining whether or not they need more water).
Water Requirements:
Bunny ear cactus typically require little water, which makes them an excellent outdoor/indoor plant. If you are growing your plant inside, you should wait until the soil is arid before watering. If you live in a hot climate, it is also best to mist your bunny ear cactus once or twice a week with water to increase its humidity.
Soil Requirements:
Be sure that when you water your bunny ear cactus that the soil is moist to the touch but never soggy. If it becomes wet, then go ahead and discard all of the excess liquid, so it does not sit at the base of the pot and potentially cause root rot or other problems.
When choosing a container for your bunny ear cacti, you want to ensure that it has ample drainage holes – otherwise, you risk overwatering issues.
Temperature and Humidity Requirements:
Bunny ear cacti are cold-hardy plants so that you can leave them outdoors in mild winter regions. If you choose to keep your bunny ear cactus inside, then it is best for temperatures between 60-75 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you have a pet or children in the home, then make sure that any decorative stones/gravel are secure enough where there is no risk of them swallowing them in their entirety.
Fertilizing Requirements:
When it comes to fertilizing your bunny ear cacti, you will want to do so during the summer or spring months. You can purchase a special succulent fertilizer at many gardening stores for this purpose.
If any of the leaves on your bunny ear cacti begin to turn yellow, then chances are they are receiving too much sunlight while inside or if there is not enough airflow around the plant which could lead to scorched/sunburned leaves.
Propagation:
When it comes to propagating your bunny ear cactus, you can easily do this by cutting off sections of their shoots and repotting them in small containers.
Make sure that you water these small pieces sparingly until new growth appears – then start watering as per normal.
As you can see, caring for bunny ear cacti is actually quite easy and takes very little effort on your part – so don’t be afraid to give them a try! If you intend on growing some of these amazing plants in your home, then please leave us a comment below with the types of succulents that you would like to see featured here on our blog! And as always.
Bunny Ear Cactus Pruning Requirements:
By nature, bunny ear cacti will grow towards the light so you may need to turn your plant in different directions if it begins to lean due to receiving too much sunlight.
You may also prune back long shoots by removing sections of them at a time with sterile snips/clippers and then replant these cuttings elsewhere in the same container.
If you find that your bunny ear cactus begin to lose their shape or become floppy, they can be easily rejuvenated by cutting off any dead sections of the plant using sterile clippers. Once this is done, make sure you do not water for about 2 weeks (making sure your soil dries out completely) and continue placing them in bright filtered light during the day.
As you can see, caring for bunny ear cactus is actually quite easy and takes very little effort on your part – so don’t be afraid to give them a try!
If you intend on growing some of these amazing plants in your home, then please leave us a comment below with the types of succulents that you would like to see featured here on our blog! And as always… Happy gardening! 🙂
Bunny Ear Cactus Potting and repotting Requirements:
If you grow your bunny ear cactus in a container, you can repot them once every 1-2 years to refresh the soil. If they become root-bound or pot-bound (when roots begin to circle the base of the container), it is best to plant succulents to trim off excess roots so new ones can grow in their place.
You will want to choose an appropriate container with drainage holes for this purpose. If you are using one that does not have them, then be sure to poke extra holes into the bottom for better drainage – otherwise, you risk overwatering issues which can lead to root rot and other problems.
Conclusion
The succulent bunny ear cactus is a stunning plant that can be easily cared for with minimal effort. If you’re looking to add some of these plants to your home, please leave us a comment below and we’ll do our best to help!
