Mammillaria elongata var. rubispina roseiflora | Crimson pincushion with pink flowers
€79,50
🌱 Morphology
A horticultural form of Mammillaria elongata, fast-growing and highly cespitose, producing numerous cylindrical stems 6–15 cm long and 1.5–3.5 cm in diameter. The tubercles are small, conical, and arranged in a spiral. The distinguishing feature of ‘Rubrispina’ is its reddish, coppery, or brownish-red radial spines, which contrast with the green body and form a particularly ornamental covering. It may have 0–3 central spines. Additionally, it has pink flowers, unlike the original rubrispina form.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
The species is endemic to Mexico, mainly in Guanajuato, Hidalgo, and Querétaro, where it grows between 1300 and 2300 m on rocky and calcareous terrain in dry scrubland. Mammillaria elongata is a highly variable species in the color and number of its spines, a circumstance that has given rise to numerous historical names. ‘Rubrispina’ is maintained here as the horticultural designation for the reddish-spined form.
Family Cactaceae · Subfamily Cactoideae · Tribe Cacteae · Genus Mammillaria · Species Mammillaria elongata DC. · Horticultural form ‘Rubrispina’.
❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 9a
It tolerates minimum temperatures down to −5 ºC for short periods and with the substrate completely dry. Real resistance depends on the hydration state and the duration of exposure.
☀️ Lighting
Full sun or very intense lighting is recommended, with an approximate DLI PAR of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹. Abundant lighting promotes compact growth and helps maintain the intense coloration of the spines.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter dormancy. During active growth, it is recommended to water deeply and allow the substrate to dry completely before the next watering. In autumn, waterings are gradually reduced until the plant is kept dry during the winter.
🌸 Flowering
Between February and June, it produces numerous small flowers approximately 1–1.5 cm in size, creamy white or pale yellow in color, frequently with a pink or salmon central line, forming a crown around the ends of the stems. In cultivation, flowering has been documented from a very early age, even around 2 years from seed in precocious specimens. The species can produce a second bloom later in the same year, so it can behave as remontant.
🌿 Nutrition
During active growth, Desert CHOICE® Cactáceas NPK (Ca-Mg) 4-4-7 (4-4) is recommended once a month along with watering. Assimilable calcium promotes the formation of firm tissues and the maintenance of turgor, while magnesium participates in chlorophyll synthesis. Before flowering, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Floración.
🪴 Pot
Large specimen in a 30 cm bowl
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a high-tech square pot, with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
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