Mammillaria karwinskiana | Karwinski's pincushion cactus
€26,50
🌱 Morphology
A relatively slow-growing cactus, initially solitary, although with age it can produce basal offsets and, especially, divide dichotomously to form clusters. The stem is globose to cylindrical, bluish-green or dark green, approximately 7–15 cm tall and 5–10 cm in diameter. The tubercles are firm, pyramidal, and contain latex; the axils feature abundant wool and bristles. There are usually 3–8 radial spines, straight or slightly curved, reddish at first and later whitish, with the lower ones noticeably longer. The central spine may be absent or very reduced depending on the form.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Native to central and southwestern Mexico, with a wide distribution that includes Chiapas, Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, Morelos, Oaxaca, and Puebla, as well as records in Guatemala. It inhabits areas from about 150 to 2,100 m, primarily in tropical deciduous forests and xerophilous scrubland, where it withstands a marked dry season.
Family Cactaceae · Subfamily Cactoideae · Tribe Cacteae
❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 9b
It tolerates minimum temperatures down to −2 ºC for short periods, provided the plant is completely dry and has been previously hardened. Cold humidity considerably increases the risk of rot.
☀️ Lighting
It needs plenty of light to maintain a compact habit, develop dense spination, and encourage wool formation. Direct sun is recommended, with progressive adaptation. As a reference, a DLI PAR of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ is suitable during active growth.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter dormancy. During active growth, it is recommended to water deeply and allow the substrate to dry out completely before the next watering. In autumn, water intake is progressively reduced until the plant is kept dry during the winter.
🌸 Flowering
At the beginning of spring, it produces a spectacular crown of flowers around the apex, on the previous year's growth. The flowers are bell-shaped, cream, yellowish-white, or yellow, with a characteristic violet central stripe, and reach approximately 2.5 cm in length and 1.5 cm in diameter. The subspecies determines much of the color variation.
🌿 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 turgidity, while magnesium participates in chlorophyll synthesis. Before flowering, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Floración.
🪴 Pot
9x9 cm gourmet black pot
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a technological square pot with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
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