ENCYCLOPLANTS

These Cacti are very easy, low maintenance plants that require very little water and lots of sunlight. these cacti are also known as Bunny Ears or Polka Dot Cacti, most people think of cacti as having sharp spiky surfaces where as these look harmless BUT dont be fooled, the surface of these Cacti are covered in fury dots which are barbed and irritate the skin, not painful just irritating. 

These plants are pad shaped and grow to around 4inches before giving of new pads and start clustering, the whole plant if left un-trimmed of new pads then this plant can grow up to 3 feet tall and as much as 6 feet wide.

 

Bloom on this Cacti is of yellow to orange in colour and fruit is red in colour and round

 

Opuntia Microdasys can stand temperatures of up to -7 for brief periods but best kept warm and in good light, watering habits are around once every 2-3 weeks in summer or when completely dry and then only water lightly. Winter watering once every couple of months should be fine as the plant is in a dormant state during winter and not growing at all.

 

Propagation of the opuntia microdasys is by planting the new pads formed on mature plants. Simply twist off the new pads preferably a year old, allow to calouse over for a day or two and just plant into compost and keep extremely warm, heat is key for the rooting process of these plants, when trying to root keep in relativly dry conditions until roots appear then water lightly as normal. Roots should form between 4-6 weeks.