Mammillaria spinosissima var. auricoma cristata

Mammillaria spinosissima "auricoma" cristata.
Showy and easy to grow, it will form huge mounds up to one metre (or more) in diameter.

Description: Mammillaria spinosissima is a columnar plant.  It's usually solitary, but it can form pups on old plants. M. spinosissima is very variable because of its wide area of origin in Mexico. The color of the spines vary from red or rust to white.
Stem: Cylindrical, dark blue-green, rarely exceeding 30 cm in height, 6 - 7 (10 cm) cm in diameter. Without latex.
Parastichy: 13 - 21
Tubercle: Ovate conical, four-sided basally.
Axil: Slightly woolly.
Radial spine: 20 - 25, white, bristle-like, 4 - 6 mm long.
Central spine: 12 - 15, pinkish-white, stronger than the radials and thicker at the base, straight, 10 - 12 mm long.
Flower: Vivid purple/ red to deep pink, 12 mm in length and in diameter, encircling the columnar stems.
Blooming season (Europe): Late winter and spring,
Fruit: Purplish red or greenish.
Seed: Brown.

Taxonomy notes:

• The subspecies 'spinosissima' only rarely grows higher than 30cm. It has dirty white to coppery red spines and does not have  bristles in the axils most of the time.
• The subspecies 'tepoxlana' has yellow spines.
• The subspecies 'pilcayensis' has whiter spines, and the stems can grow up to 50cm long/high. It might have some latex/bristles in the axils.

The flowers are purple-pink on all subspecies
 

Mammillaria spinosissima auricoma Möllers
Deutsche Gärt. Zeit. 25:475. f. 68; ed. 3 f 46

Forma cristata

Scientific name:  Mammillaria spinosissima  Lemaire.
Pubblished in: Cact. Aliq. Nov. 4 (1838)

Common Names include: Crested red Headed Irishman, Brain cactus

Origin:  Garden origin (Nursery produced selection)

Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 2.

• Mammillaria polycentra Berg
  In: Allg. Gartenz.8:130. 1840
• Mammillaria auricoma Dietrich
  In: Allg. Gartenz. 14:308. 1846
• Mammillaria polyacantha Ehrenberg
  in: Allg. Gartenz. 16:265. 1848
• Mammillaria polyactina Ehrenberg
  In: Allg. Gartenz. 16:266. 1848
• Mammillaria epatica Eremberg
  In: Allg. Gartenz.16:267. 1848
• Mammillari pomacea Ehremberg
  In: Allg. Gartenz. 17:249. 1849
• Mammillaria pulcherrima Ehrenberg
  In: Allg.Gartenz. 17:249. 1849
• Mammillaria pretiosa Ehrenberg
  In: Allg. Gartenz. 17:250. 1849
• Cactus spinosissimus
• Neomammillaria spinosissima
• Mammillaria centraliplumosa
• Mammillaria centraliplumosa var gracilis
• Mammillaria machucae
• Mammillaria virginis
• Mammillaria gasterantha
• Mammillaria kladiwae Hort
• Mammillaria heermannii var. flavicans
• Mammillaria haasii
• Mammillaria flava

Cultivation: Its qualities and ease of cultivation justify its being an old favorite.  It doesn't requires any special treatment, but needs as much light as possible without burning the plant, in order to encourage the heaviest spine formation. Water regularly in summer, keep dry in winter.
Frost tolerance: -4° C.

Propagation: Seeds or offsets.
 

Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of Mammillaria spinosissima

• M. spinosissima cv. UN PICO
• M. spinosissima "auricoma" forma cristata
• M. spinosissiama "rubrispina" (red spine selection)
• M. spinosissima forma  mostruosa

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