The Daily Insight
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How often should I water my Mammillaria cactus?

about once a month
You should only water about once a month, and then quite sparingly. Just give the plant enough water to prevent having it shrivel up. Be sure to keep your plant at about 50° degrees Fahrenheit during the winter and provide plenty of indirect light.

How big does a Mammillaria get?

Mammillaria cactus varieties can span sizes from one inch in diameter (2.5 cm.) to one foot in height (30 cm.). The majority of the readily available species are the ground hugging variety. As interior plants, growing Mammillaria couldn’t be easier. They need well-draining soil, good light and warm temperatures.

How do you take care of a mammillaria plumosa?

During the hot months of summer, water regularly, but be sure that the Mammillaria plumosa feather cactus never stands in water. Use a sharp well draining soil, and allow all excess water to run off every time you water. If kept outdoors in an area that gets a decent amount of rain, you may not need to water at all.

How fast do mammillaria grow?

These low growing cacti attain their ultimate height of about 4” inches and cluster width of about 3.5′ feet in a 5 to 10 year time period. The soft, feathery looking spines of feather cactus Mammillaria plumosa start out as very pure white in color, but they can become dusty and stained with the passage of time.

How do you propagate mammillaria plumosa?

Plumosa Mammillaria cactus can be propagated by removing offsets as they appear and planting them in their own pots to be treated as mature plants. You could also divide your plant when you repot if there are lots of offsets.

When was the genus Mammillaria first described?

Adrian Hardy Haworth first described the genus in 1812. Mammillaria s are small cacti with globose or short cylindrical stems which grow either solitary or in clumps. The stems vary among species from 0.4 to 8 inches (1 to 20 cm) in diameter and 0.4 to 16 inches (1 to 40 cm) in height.

How do you take care of a Mammillaria plant?

The fertilizer will help them to thrive and bloom. Apply a water-soluble fertilizer for cacti and other succulents. A houseplant fertilizer higher in phosphorus than nitrogen, such as a 5-10-5 solution, can also be used. Suspend feeding during the winter when Mammillaria s go dormant.

What is the size of a Mammillaria cactus?

Mammillaria s are small cacti with globose or short cylindrical stems which grow either solitary or in clumps. The stems vary among species from 0.4 to 8 inches (1 to 20 cm) in diameter and 0.4 to 16 inches (1 to 40 cm) in height.

What is the best fertilizer for Mammillaria?

Apply a water-soluble fertilizer for cacti and other succulents. A houseplant fertilizer higher in phosphorus than nitrogen, such as a 5-10-5 solution, can also be used. Suspend feeding during the winter when Mammillaria s go dormant. Repot every two or three years into a slightly larger pot. Make sure the soil is dry before repotting.