Old Lady cactus

Old Lady cactus Care

Mammillaria hahniana

What is the plant

Mammillaria hahniana (also known as Old Lady cactus) is a succulent plant from the Cactaceae family. It grows in deserts. It can become an original decoration for your home or garden.

Old Lady cactus has a rounded stem up to 3.5 inches (9cm) tall and about the same in diameter. The stem is light green in color and covered in white fluff. The plant has axillae with long, up to 4 cm, hairy white bristles. There are about 30 white radial spines and 1-4 central spines. They have a red tip and fall off with age. Mammillaria produces purple flowers and red fruits.

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Humidity

Dry

Lighting

Full Sun

Temperature

10°C - 15°C

Hardiness zone

9a - 12

Difficulty

Easy

Hibernation

Cold Period

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Old Lady cactus is drought-tolerant and does not like excessive moisture. In summer, water your green pet in small doses once a week or every 2 weeks. With the onset of winter, gradually reduce watering to 1 time per month.
Pruning
This cactus doesn't need special pruning. However, you can remove withered plant parts if required.
Fertilizer
Feed once a month from early spring to mid-fall. You can use fertilizers for cacti and succulents. In winter, Mammillaria hahniana does not need feeding at all.

Disease diagnosis

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Sunlight
Old Lady cacti prefer bright lighting. They are quite resistant to direct sun rays. In fact, they don't bloom at all in the shade! You can place the plant pot next to a south-facing window.
Soil
You can use ready-made cactus soil. If you prefer to prepare the substrate yourself, you will need turf, leaf soil, sand, and broken brick (brick chips) in a ratio of 2:2:3:1.
Propagation
You can germinate your cactus from seeds. Soak them in a solution of potassium permanganate and sow in sand sprinkled with soil. You can also propagate the plant from young sprouts.

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Temperature
Mammilaria cactus is a thermophilic plant, so it tolerates hot climates. The optimum temperature in summer is 68-75°F (20-24°C). In winter, it needs to be around 50-59°F (10-15°C).
Container
The material of the container is not important for Mammillaria hahniana. This plant is unpretentious in care. It needs a container slightly larger than its own size. However, it also does not mind having neighbors and gets along in a pot with other plants.
Fun fact
The plant is endemic to the Mexican states of Guanajuato, Tamaulipas, and Querétaro.