Mammillaria pringlei | Lemon cactus
€21,20
🌵 Morphology
Cactus with a globose to cylindrical habit that, with age, can reach about 15–25 cm in height and 8–10 cm in diameter. One of its most curious characteristics is its ability to produce dichotomous branching, eventually forming groups of several stems. The tubercles are conical and the areoles feature numerous yellowish radial spines, accompanied by 5–8 central spines, which are longer and intense yellow, reaching several centimeters in length. The combination of yellow spines and a green body has earned it the popular English name “lemon ball”.
🌎 Distribution and habitat
Species endemic to Mexico, with a distribution range extending from Querétaro to Veracruz and the State of Mexico. It lives in dry scrubland areas and also in open areas of Quercus forests, on rocky terrain, at approximately 2,200 to 2,500 m altitude in some of its populations. It belongs to the Cactaceae family, Cactoideae subfamily, and Cacteae tribe.
❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 9b
It tolerates minimum temperatures of up to −4 ºC for short periods, provided the substrate remains completely dry. The RHS classifies it as H2, meaning it is tolerant of low temperatures but not prolonged freezing.
☀️ Lighting
Full sun is recommended, with high availability of photosynthetically active radiation (DLI PAR of 20–30 mol/m²/day). Intense lighting promotes compact growth, denser spination, and good flowering. Indoors, it needs to be placed next to a very bright window or have supplementary artificial lighting.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter rest. During active growth, it is recommended to water thoroughly and allow the substrate to dry out completely before watering again. In autumn, water supply is progressively reduced, and it is kept dry during the winter. Rapid drainage is especially important during cold periods.
🌸 Flowering
Flowering occurs mainly between August and September, although it may vary depending on growing conditions. The flowers are relatively small, about 1.2–2 cm long, with purplish-pink inner segments and pink stamens. The fruits are cylindrical and red. No sufficiently reliable data has been found regarding the age of the first flowering, so no figure is provided.
🌿 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.
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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