Care of the cactus Mammillaria carnea or Pin-cushion cactus |
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The genus Mammillaria, family Cactaceae, includes more than 350 species of cacti originating, the vast majority, from Mexico. Some species of this genus are: Mammillaria carnea, Mammillaria longimamma, Mammillaria brandegeei, Mammillaria vetula, Mammillaria spinosissima, Mammillaria schumannii, Mammillaria painteri, Mammillaria magnimamma, Mammillaria lenta, Mammillaria laui, Mammillaria karwinskiana, Mammillaria hahniana, Mammillaria haageana, Mammillaria geminispina, Mammillaria discolor, Mammillaria crinita, Mammillaria compressa, Mammillaria carmenae, Mammillaria candida, Mammillaria bombycina, Mammillaria backebergiana, Mammillaria pringlei, Mammillaria petterssonii, Mammillaria magnifica. Common names: Pin-cushion cactus, Flesh cactus. This species is native to central and southern Mexico. They are cacti with a light green or bluish green color and a globose-cylindrical body that reach 10 cm (3.93") in height and produce lateral suckers. Large tubers up to 1 cm (0.39") tall are pyramidal in shape and arranged in a spiral. They do not usually have radial spines but they do have about 4 central spines with a black tip. The flowers are pink and appear in a crown near the apex of the plant. The red fruits are up to 2.5 cm (0.98") long. They are used in pots and planters, in rockeries and in cactus and succulent gardens. Mammillaria carnea prefers full sun exposure and a hot, dry climate. It is recommended not to expose it to temperatures below 4 ºC (39.2 ºF). The soil can be a commercial substrate for cacti and succulents or a mixture, in the same proportions, of leaf mulch, coarse sand and light garden soil. Water moderately in spring and summer, waiting for the substrate to be completely dry. Do not water from mid-fall to early spring. Fertilize once in spring with cactus fertilizer. They do not need pruning. They are sensitive plants to excess watering that can cause fungal diseases. They are easily propagated by separating suckers and starting from seeds sown in spring. |
Images of the cactus Mammillaria carnea or Pin-cushion cactus |
 Mammillaria carnea  Mammillaria carnea |