Mammillaria parkinsonii
owl-eye cactus
Family CactaceaeAlso called owl-eye pincushion
About
Mammillaria parkinsonii, the owl-eye cactus, is a pincushion cactus endemic to Querétaro, Mexico, and is considered 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
Distribution & habitat
Endemic to Querétaro, Mexico, within an area of about 2,500 km².
History & etymology
First described by Ehrenberg in 1840 in the journal Linnaea.
Conservation
Listed as Endangered because of its small, severely fragmented range and ongoing decline from illegal collection and habitat degradation. Its taxonomic status needs clarifying.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- Mexico
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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