|
Mammillaria bombycina is one of the most
popular and beautiful species that will produce clumps, as a washing up
bowl. It combines clean, glassy white radial spines with hooked
reddish-brown centrals.
The spines are quite sticking. This plant will
produce several complete circles of contrasting light carmine flowers
every year.
|
|
Description: Solitary or clustering stems, some clones cluster
aggressively and can form 50-90 cm wide, gorgeous mounds as they
matures.
Stems: Depressed globose to club shaped, bright-green to
grey-green, 7 - 14 cm high, 5 - 6 cm in diameter.
Tubercle: Conical to cylindrical, firm.
Sap: Occasionally latex in tubercules.
Axil: With dense wool and bristles.
Radial spine: 30 – 65, have a glassy appearance white, to
yellowish white stiff, thin, needle-like, pectinately arranged, that
almost conceal the epidermis to 8 mm long.
Central spine: 3 – 8 (usually 4), yellow with dark tips, or
orange-reddish brown, lowermost one hooked downwards and to 20 mm long,
others straight and to 11 mm long. hooked spines.
the many radial spines
Flower: Light carmine, pink or white, funnelform, , to 15 mm long
and in diameter in circles around the crown of the plant.
Blooming: Come only to mature plants in Spring
Fruit: Pale pinkish green.
|
|
|
Family:
Cactaceae
(Cactus
Family)
Scientific name:
Mammillaria bombycina Quehl 1910
First description published in: Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 20:
149 with fig. (1910)
Common name: Silken Pincushion
Origin:
Originally described from eastern Jalisco, Mexico,
additional populations have since been located in Aguascalientes just to
the north. Altitude 2.340 to 2.500 m.
Synonyms:
- Chilita bombycina,
- Escobariopsis bombycina,
- Ebnerella bombycina,
- Neomammillaria bombycina
M. perezdelarosae is closely related though most
plants are solitary
|
|
Cultivation: This is one of
the easier species to grow, it is an easy bloomer and don't requires any
special treatment, it have consistently clean spination whether grown
indoors or out but the plants are the most beautiful when cultivated in
the full sun that encourage the heaviest spine formation. Regular water
in summer. Keep dry in winter. Frost tolerance: 4° C
Propagation: Seeds or
offsets.
|
|
Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and
cultivars of Mammillaria bombycina.
|
|
Cultivation
and Mail Sale 
