Old man cactus
Cephalocereus senilis
Also called Bunny cactus and Old man of Mexico
Houseplant · Succulents & cactiThe white hair is sunshade, and it mats and yellows if you water over the top. Water the soil and never the plant.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Medium
- Water
- Every 24 daysSoak, then bone-dry — wait until the soil is dry right through — lift the pot, it tells you.
- Light
- Full sun
- Feed
- Every 90 days
- Humidity
- Low
- Hardiness
- Indoors, or out for the summer RHS H1C, to 5°C
- Size
- 1 m tall · 0.15 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- Mexico
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsSafe for pets
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
HandlingTake care handling it
The white hair looks soft and hides hard yellow spines beneath it.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-07-31.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- The white coat goes grey and matted at the top, where dust settles — it does not wash clean and the new growth above it is the only fresh white you will get.Grubby hair · disorder