Chenille Pricklypear
About Chenille Pricklypear
Chenille Pricklypear is a super rare houseplant 🌿 that needs very little water to thrive. They do best in long-lasting, direct light ☀️ and should be less than 1 foot from a window.
Chenille Pricklypear likes soil that is extremely well-draining. Your plant shouldn't need added fertilizers if you repot each time it doubles in size.
Taxonomy
Opuntia aciculata
Opuntia
Cactaceae
Caryophyllales
Also known as
Old Man's Whiskers, Cowboy Red Whiskers and Golden Glochid Cactus

How to care for Chenille Pricklypear
How often to water your Chenille Pricklypear

every 12
Chenille Pricklypear needs 0.5 cups of water every 12 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.
Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Water 0.5 cups every
12
Finding light for Chenille Pricklypear in your home

a window
Chenille Pricklypear love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.
Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.
Chenille Pricklypear does not tolerate low-light 🚫.
Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Chenille Pricklypear in your home 🏡.
How to fertilize Chenille Pricklypear

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.
By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.
To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Chenille Pricklypear after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.
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How do I bring my Bunny Ear Cactus back to life/health? My Bunny Ears started wilting with the sun a couple weeks ago and now seems to be rotting at the bottom and isn't even staying up. I don't know how to remove to check the roots or even repot, and even if I do I don't know what to look for when it comes to a cactus. I added cactus fertilizer and a tiny bit of water and then this happened. Anyone have any advice on how to take care of this? #cactus #bunnyearcactus
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I want to know the specific type of cactus this is and I don’t think it’s eves needle. Thoughts? #EvesNeedle
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#freshleaffriday #succulentsquad My beloved Opuntia Face is going absolutely crazy over the last few weeks. Yesterday was 102 degrees F, today hit 95 and 22 mph winds, and OF officially outgrew the IKEA cage.
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Need your help!!!!! What's happening with my cactus 🌵 ? It's turning yellow next to the new growth and feels soft. #cactus #plantsmakepeoplehappy #plantaddict #planttherapy #plantdad #pricklypear
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How much do you give it sunlight #DroopingPricklyPear
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Help #PricklyPear ok, I really need to know what to fertilize this beautiful cactus with. I don’t want Josè to die 😭
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#succulentsquad This one, Opuntia Rufida, is supposedly easy, but I decimated - and gave up on - several when I was starting. I struggled so hard trying to figure out why it was always wrinkled. Big Wig is the last try on that species, and that outdoor pic is from 2023. Note also the ladybugs having a meal - they groomed the heck out of it last week.
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does this look okay? i just got it in the mail and i’m worried it’s rotting already 😬 #PricklyPear #Cactus
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#succulentsquad June 3rd vs June 28th, 2025. The two pads in a cement planter are pups from last year. I can confirm they are slowwwwww growers. Note that this was my first "big plant," and it went through all kinds of naive experiments - it also used to be a squirrel snack.
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Cactus dying I moved these outside and they were loving the sunshine! But then, one fell over and I had to repot them in the same pot. Now they are both dying. Help! (just took them out of the soil for the picture)
Care Summary for Chenille Pricklypear
Chenille Pricklypear
Greg recommends:

0.5 cups every 12 days

< 1ft from a window

Repot after 2x growth
Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.
