Mammillaria perbella | Carmine-crowned pincushion cactus
€7,95
🌱 Morphology
It looks like a small, bluish-green porcelain sculpture crowned by a white halo, but when it flowers, its personality changes completely: a ring of deep carmine flowers appears around the apex, turning this small cactus into a true jewel.
The body starts out globose and depressed and can become more cylindrical with age, reaching approximately 5–20 cm in height and 5–8 cm in diameter. The tubercles, very close to each other, are arranged in regular spirals, and the areoles are accompanied by abundant white wool. It produces between 20 and 30 thin white radial spines, while it typically develops 1–2 more robust, brown central spines, which may be absent in some specimens.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
It is native to Mexico, mainly Guanajuato and Hidalgo, where it grows in arid environments and dry shrublands. It is associated with rocky, well-drained terrain. It belongs to the Cactaceae family. The name Mammillaria pseudoperbella is currently considered a synonym of Mammillaria perbella by Kew.
❄️ Temperature — USDA Zone 9a–11b
It tolerates minimum temperatures down to −4 ºC for brief periods if kept completely dry and well-acclimated. Cold dampness must be avoided.
☀️ Lighting
During active growth, it needs intense light, with a target of approximately 18–25 mol/m²/day of DLI PAR. Gradual exposure to direct sun promotes compact growth and denser spination.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter dormancy.
During the active period, generous watering is recommended, allowing the substrate to dry out completely before watering again. In winter, it must be kept dry, especially when temperatures are low.
🌸 Flowering
The flowers are one of its main attractions: small, pinkish-purple to deep carmine, with a darker central line, and they appear in several rings around the apex. In Madrid, flowering can occur mainly between April and May. The fruits, dark reddish-pink, remain as small ornaments after flowering.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with a high content of assimilable calcium 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 substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi
📏 The sizes of our basic collection xerophytes 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 specimen sent may vary slightly from the product image. The measurements of the plant are specified in the photo description, but this may also vary slightly because, it is a living being! Each one of the Desert CITY plants has unique characteristics.
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