€21,20

Mammillaria vetula subsp. gracilis (Pfeiff.) D.R.Hunt 

🌱 Morphology
   Horticultural selection of this small Mammillaria with cylindrical and slender stems, which branches abundantly from the base and forms dense colonies. The stems can reach about 10–13 cm in height, with conical tubercles up to 6 mm. The areoles feature 11–16 white, bristly radial spines, 3–8 mm long, and usually lack a central spine, although up to 2 may appear in some specimens. The branches, tightly clustered and covered in white spines, explain its popular name, "Caterpillar".

🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Endemic to Mexico, mainly in Hidalgo and Querétaro, where it lives between 1200 and 1800 m in xerophilous scrub and Quercus forests, frequently on rocky and limestone terrain. It belongs to the Cactaceae family, subfamily Cactoideae, tribe Cacteae. In the taxonomy of Joël Lodé 2026, Mammillaria gracilis is treated as Mammillaria vetula subsp. gracilis; M. gracilis, M. fragilis, and M. gracilis var. pulchella appear as synonyms or forms within this taxon.

❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 8b
It tolerates minimum temperatures down to −8 ºC when kept dry and if specimens are well-acclimated. Its origin in mountainous areas allows it to withstand considerable cold, but in cultivation, the combination of low temperatures and damp substrate must especially be avoided.

☀️ Lighting
It requires very abundant light and direct sun, with progressive acclimatization. During active growth, an approximate DLI PAR of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ is recommended. Intense lighting keeps the stems compact and promotes dense, white spination.

💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter dormancy. During winter, it should be kept dry with good ventilation. In spring and summer, it is recommended to water abundantly and allow the substrate to dry out completely before repeating. In late autumn, reduce watering progressively. In its habitat, it flowers mainly between December and February, but in cultivation, flowering may extend for several months.

🌸 Flowering
Flowers starting at about 3 years of age, when it reaches sufficient maturity. It produces flowers up to 12 mm, pale yellow in color, with a characteristic pink or reddish-brown central stripe. They appear forming a small crown around the top of the stems.

🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with high assimilable calcium content and low nitrogen levels, such as Desert CHOICE® Cactáceas, is recommended, applied once a month when watering. Before flowering, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Floración.

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

📏 Gourmet xerophyte in a 9x9 cm pot.

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

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