Powder-puff Cactus

Powder-puff Cactus Care

Mammillaria Bocasana

What is the plant

Mammillaria bocasana (Syn: Neomammillaria bocasana) is a clumping cactus, often forming large mounds. It is commonly called the “Powder Puff Cactus”, because of its appearance like a cotton ball as the small round plant is covered with silky white hairs. It is quite variable with a lot of different varieties and forms available in cultivation. Generations of cactophiles have had this plant as one of their first acquisitions and few can have been disappointed by its easy cultivation and free-flowering habit.Stems: Individual stems spherical, sometimes becoming somewhat cylindrical. light green to bluish-green, 5-8(-12) cm tall and 3-6(-8) cm in diameter.Tubercles: Slender, soft, cylindrical, terete, 6 to 8 mm long, their axil sometimes hairy or bristly.

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Humidity

Dry

Lighting

Full Sun

Temperature

min 8°C

Hardiness zone

9b - 11b

Difficulty

Medium

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Water regularly in summer, but do not overwater (very wet-sensitively, especially in light of its succulent root system). Its roots are easily lost in pots that stay damp for any length of time. Keep dry with ample airflow in winter. In the rest period no high atmospheric humidity!! Care must be taken with watering as they tends to become swollen and untidy in growth habit if given too much water and shade.
Fertilizer
During the growing season enrich the soil using a fertilizer rich in potassium and phosphorous, but poor in nitrogen, because this chemical element doesn’t help the development of succulent plants, making them too soft and full of water.
Sunlight
Outside bright sun, filtered sunlight or afternoon shade, inside it needs bright light, and some direct sun. Subject to sunburn if exposed to direct sun for too long. Tends to bronze in strong light, which encourages flowering and heavy wool and spine production.

Disease diagnosis

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Soil
It likes very porous standard cactus mix soil with little organic matter (peat, humus).
Temperature
It is quite frost resistant if kept dry, hardy as low as -5° C (some reports give it hardy to -12°C). However some warmth throughout the year will increase the grower's success (minimum 5° to 8°C during rest season).
Container
Use pot with good drainage.

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Additional
The white, hooked spines of this spherical cactus were used as fish hooks in its native Mexico.
Popularity
110 people already have this plant 27 people have added this plant to their wishlists