Bunny Cactus
Sources last read 14 September 2026.
Not yet rated How forgiving it is has not been judged here yet.
Also called monkey cactus, old man cactus, Old Man of Mexico, old man's head and White Persian Cat Cactus.
Toxicity is partly unassessed
What the sources say about its care
- Light
- Full sunRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Water
- Well-drainedRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Humidity
No source read publishes a humidity figure for any plant on this site. What follows is general guidance for foliage plants.
Most foliage plants prefer more humidity than a heated room gives; succulents are named as an exceptionPenn State Extension · read 13 September 2026- Temperature
How cold this tolerates, not what it prefers. No source read for this site publishes a preferred range for a plant indoors.
H1C — 5–10°C 5–10 °CRHS · read 13 September 2026- Soil
- Sand; pH Alkaline or NeutralRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Toxic to cats
- Non-toxicASPCA · read 13 September 2026
- Toxic to dogs
- Non-toxicASPCA · read 13 September 2026
- Harmful to people
- No statement of harm to people is published for this plant; that absence is not evidence it is safe.RHS · read 13 September 2026
Routine care
- Watering
- Water the plants thoroughly and let them dry out before the next watering. Kept well fed and watered through the warmest months and adjusted to full sun, it can grow 7 inches each year.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026During growth water generously; at other times keep nearly dry.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Feeding
- Feed monthly with a balanced fertilizer while the plant is growing. Hold back water and fertilizer in winter.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Propagation
- Being widely propagated and popular in cultivation may lessen pressure on wild populations.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Sow seed in early spring. Alternatively, take cuttings from young branches in early summer or late spring and root them.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Pruning
- Pruning is not needed.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Pests and diseases
- Can be troubled by mealybugs and scale insects.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Can be troubled by scale insects and mealybugs. Diseases: usually none, but overwatering causes rot.RHS · read 13 September 2026
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Photographs
About the plant
Cephalocereus senilis, the old man cactus, is a species of cactus native to Hidalgo and Veracruz in central Mexico. It is threatened in the wild, but widespread propagation and popularity in cultivation have reduced the demand on wild populations.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · read 13 September 2026
- Native range
- NE. Mexico (to Veracruz)World Checklist of Vascular Plants, June 2026 release, CC BY.Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026North Eastern Mexico to VeracruzNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Climate
- desert or dry shrublandWorld Checklist of Vascular Plants, June 2026 release, CC BY.Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026
- Growth form
- succulent shrub or treeWorld Checklist of Vascular Plants, June 2026 release, CC BY.Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026Perennial, Succulent; habit columnar, erectNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Columnar upright (evergreen)RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Size
- Height 36–480 in; width 6–12 inNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Height Higher than 12 metres; spread 0.1-0.5 metres after 20–50 yearsRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Flowering
- Flowers gold/yellow, red/burgundy, white; blooms in spring, summerNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Flowers red in summer; yellow in summer; pink in summerRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Uses
What sources record people using this plant for. A traditional or medicinal use listed here is a record of use, not advice to eat it or treat anything with it.
Usually grown as a houseplant or in containers.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
More of the Cactaceae family
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Sources
- ASPCA · read 13 September 2026
- Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026
- NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Penn State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Wikipedia · read 13 September 2026
What this does not cover
The figures above are what published sources say, not measurements of the plant in your room. They say nothing about your pot size, your water, the season, or how far from the glass the plant stands, and those decide more than any figure here does.
Humidity has no species figure because no source read for this site publishes one, and the only temperature published for this plant is a cold floor. The simulator fills those gaps with general figures for its kind of plant, marked as general and listed on how we read sources. Where a toxicity row says the plant was not assessed, that is the absence of a finding and not a finding of safety.
If something is already wrong, the diagnosis tool asks about the soil, the window and the watering, which is where the answer usually is.