Scientific Name
Opuntia microdasys var. pallida f. cristata hort.
Accepted Scientific Name
Opuntia microdasys var. pallida Borg
Synonym(s)
Opuntia microdasys f. monstruosa, Opuntia microdasys var. pallida f. undulata
Scientific Classification
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Opuntioideae
Tribe: Opuntieae
Genus: Opuntia
Description
Opuntia microdasys var. pallida f. cristata is a clustering cactus with unusual twisted pads. It grows up to 2 feet (60 cm) tall. The pads have no spines but instead have numerous bright yellow hair-like glochids arranged in dense clusters. Flowers are lemon yellow, up to 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 9a to 11b: from 20 °F (−6.7 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
A spot near a south-facing, unobstructed window will most likely meet Bunny Ears Cactus' need for bright, direct sun. Windows with western or eastern exposure run as second and third choices. While an actively growing Bunny Ears Cactus tolerates indoor summer temperatures as high as 100 °F (38 °C), don't expect it to flower unless you also provide winter temperatures between 45 and 55 °F (7 and 13 °C). Regardless of the season, it likes humidity in the 10 to 30 percent range. Finally, if none of your windows provides adequate light, place the plant 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) below a cool white fluorescent tube for 14 to 16 hours each day.
The potting soil must drain quickly. Use a commercial cactus potting mix or mix your own. The best container for your cactus is a clay pot, just slightly larger and deeper than the plant's root system. It must have drainage holes because a pot without them or a pot that's too large could make proper watering impossible.
See more at How to Grow and Care for a Bunny Ears Cactus (Opuntia microdasys).
Origin
This cactus is a crested form of Opuntia microdasys var. pallida.
Links
- Back to genus Opuntia
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
Photo Gallery
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