About
Mammillaria albiflora is a small, densely white-spined cactus from a single area of Guanajuato, Mexico. It is critically endangered.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- Listed as non-toxic to pets, but the sharp spines can cause injury. General guidance for the genus
- People
- Listed as non-toxic to humans, but the sharp spines can cause injury. General guidance for the genus
- Light
- Full sun or bright direct light, with some afternoon shade in hot weather. General guidance for the genus
- Water
- Let the soil dry out completely between waterings; stop watering while dormant in winter. General guidance for the genus
- Temperature
- Grows best at about 21–27 °C (70–80 °F); prefers a cool winter rest at 7–13 °C (45–55 °F). General guidance for the genus
- Soil
- Well-drained cactus mix with added grit or coarse sand. General guidance for the genus
- Propagation
- Seed, or by dividing offsets (pups). General guidance for the genus
- Growth rate
- Slow. General guidance for the genus
“General guidance for the genus” marks advice sourced for the genus as a whole rather than this species.
Field notes
Morphology
Usually solitary, occasionally clustering. The cylindrical stem, over 5 cm tall and 1–2 cm wide, is hidden under 60–80 short, interlaced white radial spines; there is no central spine and no milky sap. White flowers with a pinkish tinge reach 3.5 cm long and 2.5 cm across; the fruit stays hidden among the spines and holds black seeds.
Distribution & habitat
Guanajuato, Mexico, south of Pozos at 2,160–2,200 m, on sloping limestone rock in semi-desert, about 50 km or more from the range of M. herrerae.
History & etymology
First described by Erich Werdermann in 1931 as a variety of M. herrerae. The name means "white-flowered". David Hunt at first thought it might be only a form of M. herrerae.
Conservation
Critically Endangered: it is known from one location with a small range and a declining population.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- Mexico
- IUCN status
- Critically endangered
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
- Temperature
- Grows best at about 21–27 °C (70–80 °F); prefers a cool winter rest at 7–13 °C (45–55 °F).
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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