Mammilaria

Cactus family. It is the largest genus of cactus and contains up to 500 species. Among them there are very unpretentious species that can be found in almost any cactus, and there are very demanding and complex and, therefore, probably rare cacti. Structural features of mammilaria allow them to be easily distinguished from other representatives of the cactus family. This feature is the presence of numerous papillae on the stem of mammilaria, and not just tubercles. From the top of these papillae grow spines. Flowers emerge from the sinuses between the papillae. Although it must be said that papillae may be the only similarity between different types of mammilaria.

The homeland of most Mammilaria is the desert or flat regions of South America, and this affects the conditions of their content - a lot of sun and heat in summer, and dry content in winter, as it is characteristic of them in nature.

• Mammillaria spinosissima - with a spherical stem and thin, sharp spines of white and brown color. Between the papillae, pubescence, as if white cotton balls. It blooms with bright pink flowers.
• Mammillaria elongata - with a thin elongated stem, papillae are not high, spines of golden color are collected in a neat rosette. It blooms with small white flowers, but only in favorable conditions, although, in general, it grows well in room culture. Berries are formed after pollination.
• Mammillaria Wildii - with an elongated thick stem, up to 5 cm in diameter. The papillae are thin, elongated with golden spines, and the central spiny is hooked. Easily forms children, which do not fall off themselves, but continue to grow, as a result, the cactus branches strongly. It blooms easily with white not large flowers. Berries are formed after pollination.
• Mammillaria zeilmana zeilmanniana - with a short cylindrical stem and thick curved spines. The flowers are bright pink, sometimes white in spring.

• Mammillaria is excellent Mammillaria perbella - with a spherical stem, up to 6-7 cm in diameter with small white spines. Easily forms many children. It blooms with pink or red flowers.
• Mammilaria hahniana - with a spherical or cylindrical stem (up to 10 cm in diameter) and long white hairs, this fluffy mammilaria blooms with pink flowers. Easily forms many children.
• Mammillaria bocasana mammillaria - with an elongated thick stem (4-5 cm in diameter), with thin long papillae, forms many children. Peculiarity in spines - the central brown spiny is long and bent by a hook, several spines are thin needle-shaped, as well as longer white, hairy spines. This mammilaria also grows easily and blooms in indoor conditions with small white flowers. Which, when there are many of them, greatly decorate the plant. Berries are formed after pollination.
• Mammillaria prolifera - with a low thin stem, easily forming many children. The spines are hairy and needle-shaped, extreme white, golden in the center, they densely cover the stem so that sometimes it is not even visible. Easily blooms with white not large flowers. Berries are formed without pollination.
• Mammillaria nivosa - contains milky juice, which is noticeable when breaking a papilla or stem. The name of the species is associated with white fluffy hairs, similar to snowball flakes, located between the papillae. 6-13, Radial spines 6-13, yellow or brownish (sometimes dark brown), up to 2 cm long. The central spine is one, no different from the radial ones. The flowers are yellow, about 2 cm in diameter.

Collection of mammilaria photos by species collected in cactus photo gallery: Mammilaria

There are so many different types of mammilaria, and some of them are very difficult to grow and only a very experienced cactus player can do it, so when buying a new cactus, ask for its exact name (Latin), and look at the directory how easy it is to grow your chosen mammilaria.

Mammilaria care

Mammilaria are very popular with florists and most species grow well all year round in normal home conditions, although ideally they need daily temperature drops of 7-10 ° C, cold maintenance in winter, daily ventilation, or whenever possible placement on a balcony or in a garden under a canopy.

Temperature: generally moderate, in summer shading is needed in the heat, otherwise the plants burn or shrivel, this is dangerous only if the pots are in an unventilated room, for example, on a closed balcony. If the windows are open, shading is not necessary.

In winter, it would be correct to organize a period of rest at a temperature of 7-10 ° C without watering. For pubescent mammilaria, the winter minimum is + 15 ° C, but higher temperatures are not desirable in winter. If you have a balcony, then from the end of May mammilaria can be exposed to fresher air, but be careful with watering - the temperature at night is too low!

Lighting: Mammilaria love a lot of light, almost all species not only tolerate direct sunlight, but also need it. Pubescent mammilaria need especially a lot of light. If you do not have south, southeast or southwest windows, or there is shading from the street, then choose the most shade-tolerant views or arrange lighting.

Watering: in winter, cacti are watered depending on the temperature, the colder the conditions, the more moderate and careful watering. In the warm season, during active growth, mammilaria are watered more often, after the soil in the pot dries in a day or two. If there are pots on the balcony, water the cacti only in the morning so that the soil has time to dry out in the evening.

The main problem in the cultivation of mammilaria is susceptibility to waterlogging of the soil, especially during cold wintering. Therefore, the rule is especially appropriate here - it is better to underfill than pour.

Humidity: Mammilaria, like all cacti, are resistant to dry air.

Transplantation: young plants annually, old in a year. The soil is the 1 part of the sod, the 1 part of the leaf, the 1 part of the small gravel, several pieces of birch coal (per pot with a diameter of 5 cm, crumble a piece with a side of about 1 cm). For old, overgrown cacti, sod soil can make up 2 parts. Since most mammilaria form many babies, which usually take root next to the mother plant, the pot for them should be wide, but not deep.

Mammilarii love porous ground soil. The addition of humus, even well rotted, should be strictly limited for them, the nutrient component of the soil (according to Zaletaeva) is land collected in a birch grove or under linden trees. But you must add brick or gravel crumbs.

• See also: Cacti. Brief requirements for soil, temperature, lighting - here you will find reference characteristics for the requirements of certain types of cacti for temperature, illumination, soil composition, etc. There are characteristics of the root system and the origin of each genus and species of plant.

Reproduction: Most mammilaria are easily propagated by children, but since over time this leads to the degeneration of plants, it is better to periodically resume them from the seeds. Seeds germinate at heating and soil temperature of 20-25 ° C. If you organize additional light for seedlings, then sowing cacti can be carried out at any time of the year .

Perennial cultivation of mammilaria from children leads to degeneration of plants, spines and stems grind, stretch and become thinner. Sometimes seeing mammilaria of the same species in the store, but grown from seeds, it is difficult to believe that they can be so beautiful. Therefore, if you want your mimmilaria to be, as they say, "envy," periodically renew them from the seeds.

Read more about the features of various regimens, transplantation and reproduction, diseases and pests in the section Cacti.