Mammillaria bombycina or Silken Pincushion

Care of the cactus Mammillaria bombycina or Silken Pincushion

The genus Mammillaria, family Cactaceae, includes more than 350 species of cactus native to Mexico mostly. Some species are: Mammillaria bombycina, Mammillaria longimamma, Mammillaria backebergiana, Mammillaria carmenae, Mammillaria elongata, Mammillaria karwinskiana, Mammillaria marksiana, Mammillaria hahniana, Mammillaria parkinsonii, Mammillaria compressa, Mammillaria crinita, Mammillaria lenta, Mammillaria discolor, Mammillaria laui, Mammillaria magnimamma, Mammillaria pringlei, Mammillaria spinosissima, Mammillaria candida, Mammillaria haageana, Mammillaria vetula, Mammillaria petterssonii, Mammillaria magnifica.

Scientific synonyms: Escobariopsis bombycina, Chilita bombycina, Neomammillaria bombycina. This species is native to Jalisco, Mexico.

They are small cacti that form dense tussock colonies 20 cm (7.87") high. They have cylindrical or conical tubercles without tips with woolly armpits. The areolas have wool and 30-40 radial spines and 2-4 central spines with a longer and hooked one with a reddish tip. The flowers are small, purple, and appear on the top of the cactus. The whitish fruits contain tiny black seeds.

These easy-to-grow plants are used in pots, on rockeries, and in cactus and succulent gardens.

Mammillaria bombycina prefers a semi-shady exposure but can grow in full sun. In winter the temperature should be above 3 ºC (37.4 ºF).

The soil can be a commercial cactus substrate or a mixture, in the same proportions, of leaf mulch, coarse sand and garden substrate.

Water moderately, waiting for the substrate to dry completely; they are very resistant to drought. From mid-autumn to early spring it's important not to water.

Fertilize with cactus fertilizer once in spring and again in summer.

They do not need pruning.

Excess moisture can lead to serious fungal diseases and plant rot.

They propagate easily from the rooting of suckers in a slightly humid sandy substrate.