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Bunny Ear Cactus, Opuntia microdasys, is not only an attractive and popular cactus but is also very easy to grow; which makes it a great plant for beginning gardeners. It is also known as the Polka-dot cactus and Angel’s-wings cactus. These cacti are often grown in rock gardens and terraces, but they do very well indoors as house plants too.
You can make your bunny ear cactus bloom indoors if you mimic the natural conditions needed during the Fall, Winter, and Spring. Keep the temperature between 50-65 0 F (10-18 0 C) during Fall and Spring and between 45-55 0 F (7-13 0 C) during the winter. Avoid frosts and give plenty of light.
How can I make my Bunny ear cactus flower?
Let’s dig a little deeper to understand why your cactus needs those cooler temperatures to bloom. And the best way to do that is to learn a little bit about where it grows in nature and what conditions it goes through in the wintertime.
First, what is a Bunny Ear cactus?
This type of cactus originally comes from Northern Mexico so it tolerates high temperatures and drought conditions and loves lots of sunshine. Bunny Ears love the sun and heat in the summer. They don’t tolerate freezing temperatures. They look very similar to the prickly pear cactus and in fact, are a cousin.
They have oval fleshy pads with fuzzy white or light yellow prickles or what is officially called glochids. They don’t have spines like lots of other cacti, but these glochids will cause irritation if touched. They grow pairs of new pads from these pads, giving them the appearance of bunny ears, hence the name Bunny Ear cactus.
They have oval fleshy pads with fuzzy white or light yellow prickles or what is officially called glochids. They don’t have spines like lots of other cacti, but these glochids will cause irritation if touched. They grow pairs of new pads from these pads, giving them the appearance of bunny ears, hence the name Bunny Ear cactus.
When they bloom, flowers form on the tops of the pads. The flowers are a soft yellow color and are about 2 ” in diameter. After blooming, they then form red or purple-red colored fruits.
So, how do you get your indoor Bunny ear cactus to bloom?
These cacti have no problems blooming when planted outdoors in their native habitat but it’s another matter when they are kept as indoor plants.
To encourage your Bunny ear cacti to bloom indoors, you need to mimic the conditions they would naturally go through during the fall, winter, and spring in their natural habitat.
Here’s how to make your Bunny ear cactus bloom:
| Starting in the fall | You will need to keep the temperatures around 50-65 degrees F (10-18 degrees C) and water less often. (water slightly about every 3-4 weeks at the most). Slightly reduce the amount of light and keep the cactus away from drafts of air from heat vents or radiators. |
| In the Winter | The temperature should be between 45-55 degrees F (7-13 degrees C). |
| In the Spring | Keep the temperatures around 50-65 degrees F (10-18 degrees C) as in the fall. |
Why do these cacti need a period of cool temperatures to bloom?
This period of cooler temperature is part of their natural cycle in their native habitat.
They go through this period of cooler temperatures starting in the fall and lasting until spring. During this time the cacti may not look healthy, but that is because they are going through a period of dormancy. After this season of cooler weather is over, and towards the end of spring or early summer, is when they start their blooming cycle.
How much light does your Bunny Ear Cactus need in the Winter?
These cacti require slightly less sun in the winter months than they do in the summer months. But usually, with indoor plants, (especially in the northern climates) we need to supply more light and not less. If your cactus doesn’t get enough sunlight, it will get floppy.
You will need to locate your cactus in the sunniest part of the house but not in direct light. (I know that sounds like a contradiction, but they need lots of “indirect” light while in the dormant state).
You may even need to supplement the natural light with fluorescent lights for at least 14 -16 hours a day to keep your cactus healthy. Even better yet, put them under full spectrum LED plant lights.
If you are looking to supplement light for your plants, you might want to check this full spectrum LED plant light on Amazon. I already have several lights that are similar, but if I were in the market for new ones, I would choose one like this because I like the idea of having a timer built into the light system.
No matter what, keep them in the sunniest place in your home since they need lots of indirect sunlight each day.
Don’t place them too close to the windows since they don’t tolerate the freezing temperatures which can seep through the windowpanes in the winter.
How Much Humidity do Bunny Ear Cacti Need?
These cacti thrive in low humidity. They won’t tolerate high humidity at all! Even during the dormant stage, they prefer the humidity to be low. You should keep the humidity between 10-30%.
It’s easy to know what the humidity level is in your home using a humidity detector. They can be pretty inexpensive. You can even place one of these detectors near your cactus to have a better idea what the humidity level is around your cactus.
If the humidity is too high, you may then consider using a dehumidifier in the same room as your cactus to bring the humidity down. If you have humid conditions where you live, you might consider checking out this dehumidifier on Amazon which is a newer model of the same one that I use and have had no problems with.
Place your Bunny ear in a room that doesn’t have a high humidity level. That means you most likely wouldn’t want to keep your cactus in a bathroom.
Of course, the humidity level also has a lot to do with the soil in your cactus’ pot. You can help keep the moisture level down by making sure your Bunny ear cactus is planted with a potting/soil mix specially made for cacti. This soil mix should have higher levels of sand to help with drainage.
You should also ensure plenty of drainage holes in the pot to help with the drainage.
All of these things will help ensure that the humidity level is within the ideal range.
When will my Bunny Ear Cactus bloom?
If you can mimic the natural wintertime conditions needed for your Bunny ear cactus to bloom, you can expect your cactus to form buds and bloom towards the end of spring. They usually start blooming around the end of spring and into the early part of summer.
If the conditions are correct, your Bunny ear will bloom but don’t be too disappointed if it doesn’t. These cacti don’t bloom indoors very often.
Where Can I Find or Buy a Bunny Ear Cactus?
You can usually find one of these cactus plants at a local greenhouse or garden center. Places like Walmart or Lowe’s often carry them. If you’re looking online, Amazon will also have a good selection, like this one (with white glochids).
Why Has my Bunny Ear Cactus Never Flowered?
It’s good to remember that although the Bunny Ear Cactus is easy to grow and care for and makes an excellent houseplant, it rarely blooms indoors. Even if it doesn’t bloom for you, you can still enjoy having this cute and decorative plant in your home.
Note: We have several related articles here at Cactus-Central and they are all part of a series of articles on how you can make your succulents and cacti bloom.
One of them called, 7 Succulents That Easily Bloom Indoors, is a good starting place to learn which ones you can successfully get to bloom indoors. So, even if you can’t get your Bunny ear cactus to bloom indoors, there are plenty of others you can grow that will be more likely to bloom.
One of the plants mentioned in that article is the Christmas Cactus. You can check that out here.
Final Thoughts
This video gives you a general overview of the Bunny ear cactus along with some helpful care tips.
Here’s some specific information on the Bunny Ear cactus:
| Scientific name | Opuntia, microdasys, Cactaceae |
| Light | Full sun with 6 or more hours direct sun per day |
| Water | Water only when completely dry |
| Soil | Well draining soil, use soil mix for cactus and succulents. |
| Growth rate | slow, perennial , reaches a height of 2-4 feet and a width of 4-6 feet when fully grown |
| Fertilizer | Rarely to Occasionally, never use fertilizer with high Nitrogen, Phosphorus,and Potassium (NPK) |
| Flowers | 1-3 inches diameter, Yellow |
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