About
Known as the old lady cactus, *Mammillaria hahniana* is a popular and relatively hardy species of cactus, suitable for domestic cultivation and noted for its striking white down and reddish purple blooms.
Field notes
Morphology
The plant has solitary, spherical stems, which can reach 12 cm in diameter, and are covered in white down and white spines. It can grow to 25 cm tall by 50 cm broad. Reddish purple flowers appear in spring and summer, sometimes forming a complete ring around the apex.
Distribution & habitat
Native to central Mexico.
Cultivation notes
It is suitable for domestic cultivation and can be grown in temperate regions under glass with heat, though some growers report it is quite hardy down to −5 °C (23 °F) or even −10 °C (14 °F). Like all cacti, it requires keeping dry in winter and being fed and watered during the active growth cycle in summer.
Conservation
It is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- Mexico
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- easy