🌱 Morphology
It looks like a small sculpture of bluish-green porcelain crowned by a white halo, but when it flowers it completely changes its personality: a crown of intense carmine flowers appears around the apex and turns this small cactus into a real jewel.

The body starts out globose and depressed and with age it can become more cylindrical, reaching approximately 5–20 cm in height and 5–8 cm in diameter. The tubercles, very close together, are arranged in regular spirals and the areoles are accompanied by abundant white wool. It produces between 20 and 30 fine white radial spines, while it normally develops 1–2 sturdier brown central spines, which may be missing in some specimens.

🌍 Distribution, habitat and family
It is native to Mexico, mainly Guanajuato and Hidalgo, where it grows in arid environments and dry scrublands. It is found associated with rocky and well-drained soils. It belongs to the Cactaceae family. The name Mammillaria pseudoperbella is currently considered a synonym of Mammillaria perbella by Kew.

❄️ Temperature — USDA Zone 9a
It tolerates minimum temperatures of up to −4 ºC for short periods if it remains completely dry and is well acclimatized. Cold, damp conditions should be avoided.

☀️ Lighting
During active growth it needs intense lighting, with a target of approximately 18–25 mol/m²/day of DLI PAR. Gradual exposure to direct sunlight promotes compact growth and denser spines.

💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter dormancy.
During the active period, abundant watering is recommended, allowing the substrate to dry out completely before watering again. In winter it should be kept dry, especially when temperatures are low.

🌸 Flowering
The flowers are one of its great attractions: small, from purple-pink to intense carmine, with a darker central line, and they appear forming several rings around the apex. In Madrid flowering can occur mainly between April and May. The fruits, dark reddish-pink in color, remain as small ornaments after flowering.

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

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

📏 The size of our xerophytes from the basic collection 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 sent specimen may vary slightly from the product image. The description of the photo specifies the measurements of the plant, but this can also vary slightly, because it is a living being! Each of the plants at Desert CITY has unique characteristics.