Ping Pong Ball Cactus

Ping Pong Ball Cactus Care

Epithelantha

What is the plant

Epithelantha are very small cacti with globe-shaped or cylindrical stems typically up to one inch in diameter, rarely reaching two inches long. Tiny whitish spines completely cover the surface of the stem. The flowers are also tiny, growing from the tip of the stem. Fruits are bright red.

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Humidity

Dry

Lighting

Full Sun

Temperature

min 10°C

Hardiness zone

9b - 11b

Difficulty

Easy

How to Care for the Plant

Water
To encourage better flowering, allow the plants to enjoy a cooling period in the winter and suspend watering. Unlike many other cacti, which use their ribs as storage devices, Mammillaria feature raised tubercles, from which spines emerge. When you water, the tubercles will expand to allow for increased water storage. The flowers appear from these tubercles' axils on the previous year's growth, which accounts for their interesting halo effect. The cactus mustn't be exposed to prolonged dampness and sitting water. Never let your cactus sit in a dish of water.
Fertilizer
Cacti fertilizer requirements are pretty simple. Any good houseplant food (diluted to half) that's higher in phosphorus than nitrogen is a good choice. A 5-10-5 solution can work well.
Sunlight
Epithelantha Bokei 'Pingpong Ball Cactus' succulents need strong light. When planting this succulent type in a garden, make sure it gets sunlight. Full to partial sun is the best for its growth. It is better to grow outdoor rather than indoor.

Disease diagnosis

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Temperature
This type of succulent prefers a warm climate. It can survive at zone 9b-11b which is around -3.9°C (25°F). If you live in a cold area, it is better to plant Pingpong Ball Cactus in an indoor environment. As long as it gets enough sunlight, the plant will grow happily.
Additional
Epithelantha Bokei is also known as 'Pingpong Ball Cactus'. As the plant matures you can expect it to reach up to around 5 cm (2″) tall. The cacti is covered by mostly white or yellow spines, and when it flowers then you can expect to see brings light pink flowers.
Popularity
4 people already have this plant 10 people have added this plant to their wishlists