€15,90

Mammillaria carmenae Castañeda

🌱 Morphology
A small Mammillaria with globose to ovoid stems that elongate slightly with age and produce abundant offsets, forming compact clusters. The stems reach approximately 8–10 cm in height and 3–5 cm in diameter. The tubercles are conical, with axils covered in white wool and bristles. The most spectacular feature is its more than 100 radial spines, which are very fine, flexible, and silky, about 5 mm long, and white, cream, or pale yellow, virtually obscuring the entire green body. It lacks central spines.

🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
It is a species endemic to an extremely small area of Tamaulipas, Mexico, between Ciudad Victoria and Jaumave, with known locations in La Reja, La Reforma, and Novillo, at approximately 850 to 1,900 m. It grows in rock crevices facing north, within pine forests and mountainous environments, a cooler and more sheltered microhabitat than the open desert. Its area of occupancy is less than 100 km² and wild populations are in decline. It belongs to the family Cactaceae, subfamily Cactoideae, and tribe Cacteae.

❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 9a
It tolerates minimum temperatures of down to −5 ºC when dry and with well-acclimatized specimens. Due to its sheltered habitat, it is especially recommended to avoid the combination of cold, humidity, and poor ventilation.

☀️ Lighting
It needs plenty of light, although its natural habitat in north-facing crevices advises against sudden changes from shade to intense sun. During active growth, a DLI PAR of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ is recommended, with progressive acclimatization. Good lighting keeps the stems compact and enhances the silky appearance of the spines.

💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter rest. During winter, it should be kept practically dry and with good ventilation. In spring and summer, it is recommended to water deeply and infrequently, allowing the substrate to dry completely before the next watering. In late summer and autumn, reduce water intake progressively until it enters dormancy.

🌸 Flowering
It can bloom from approximately 2–3 years from seed. It produces diurnal flowers of up to 1.1 cm, white or cream, frequently with delicate pink tones and a pink central line. In cultivation, it usually blooms between May and June, while in its habitat, it can bloom from December to May. The flowers appear forming a crown around the apex. There are observations of a second flush of buds around April after the post-winter flowering; therefore, it can exhibit successive flowering within the same season, although there is not enough data to establish regular pulses.

🌿 Nutrition
During active growth, Desert CHOICE® Cactaceae NPK (Ca-Mg) 4-4-7 (4-4) is recommended. Assimilable calcium promotes the formation of firm tissues and maintains turgidity, while magnesium participates in chlorophyll synthesis. To help it rebloom, use Desert CHOICE Flowering.

This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a technological square pot and with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi.

📏 The sizes of our basic collection xerophytes are as follows:

S -> 9cm x 9cm

M-> 14cm x 14 cm

L->16cm x 16 cm

* As this is an online purchase, the appearance of the specimen sent may vary slightly from the product image. The measurements of the plant are specified in the photo description, but this may also vary slightly because, after all, it is a living being! Each of the plants at Desert CITY has unique characteristics.

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