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Mammillaria grusonii

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Mammillaria grusonii SB1725 Viesca, Coahuila, Mexico
 

Description: It is undoubtedly one of the largest species in the genus and usually solitary (it has a tendency to remain the same in the culture).  It reveals its true beauty only as it becomes 6 -10 years old, and reaches 30 cm or more in diameter.
Stems: globose to thick cylindrical, light blue-green, up to 30 cm and 25 cm in diameter.
Tubercule:
Basally four-angled , carinate, without latex,
Axil: Woolly at first, later naked.
Radial spine: 12 - 14, straight,
needle-like, upper ones shorter, 6 - 8 mm long, at first reddish,  tipped brown, later grey or snowy- white.
Central spine: Usually 2 (or rarely 3), straight
, stronger than the radial, one ascending, one descending, 4 - 6 mm long.
Flower: Bell shaped,
funnel-form, diurnal, light yellow-cream or pinkish with darker (brown or purple) midstripe with a yellowish throat, up to 25 mm long and in diameter.
Blooming season (Europe):
Spring, and flowers remain open for about three or four days.
Fruit: Scarlet, club
shaped
Seed: Brown.

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Family: Cactaceae (Cactus Family)

Scientific name:  Mammillaria grusonii
First description:  by Runge, Gartenflora 38: 105 with fig. (1889)

OriginMexico, COAHUILA (Sierra Bola, Cerro Bola, Viesca, Puerto de Ventanillas, San Pedro de las Colonias, Cuatrocienegas, Cerro Zavaleta, El Carmen, San Rafael, Pinaje de Leone, Pomona/Paile, La Pena, Tacubaya, Torreon - Cuencame, San Antonio, El Amparo, La Cuchilla), and DURANGO (Penon Blanco, Nazas - Rodeo, Belem, La Concha, Cuencame, San Bartolo, Cerro Visnaga, Lerdo, Santiago Papasquiaro)

Habitat: Grows on the top and slope of hills, or in flat areas at about 800 - 1.850 m of altitude

Conservation status:  Listed in CITES appendix 2.

Synonyms:  

  • Mammillaria mexicensis R.T.Craig
  • Mammillaria pachycylindrica  Backeb.
  • Mammillaria zeyeriana K.Schum
  • Mammillaria durangicola
  • Mammillaria papasquiarensis
  • Mammillaria tesopacensis var. papasquiarensis
 



 

NOTE: There are a number of varieties and segregate species of this variable cactus species, but not all are universally recognized.  Some authorities recognize the following:

Mammillaria pachycylindrica
(Reppennhagen considered it a separate form) wit
h more spines, 20–23 grayish-white radials and about 6 centrals, at first dark, blackish-brown, becoming gray, tepals lobes with a wide brownish-pink midstrip.
Mammillaria durangicola
 This form has 10-16 radials, 4-15 mm long, 1 - 3 central, 10-17mm long, black, and flowers as in Mammillaria pachycylindrica, with
a brownish midstrip.
Mammillaria papasquiarensis
is a longer form, with 8-10 radial spines, 5-40 mm long, and 1 to 3 central spines, 40 - 100 mm long
.  The flowers are white with a pinkish midstrip.
Mammillaria zeyeriana
The spines are of  intermediate measurement, of which the radials are 10 to 15,  8-15 mm long, and the centrals usually 4 (but sometime up to 6), 12 - 25 mm long  The flowers are similar to the last  mentioned.
Mammillaria mexicensis  has  dark
pink flowers.

Cultivation: This plant blooms easily and needs lots of light.  Use a pot with good drainage and a very porous mineral-based potting mix.  Potted plants are quite wet-sensitive, especially in light of its small root system. Water sparingly during the growing season, let soil dry in between to prevent root rot, keep very dry in winter.  Feed with a high potassium fertilizer  in summer.
Usually it is recommended to over
-winter this plant in a bright and warm greenhouse with at least 8-10° C , but it has proven to be quite frost resistant (if kept dry it is hardy as low as -7° C).  A resting period in winter and strong light are necessary so that it can flower properly.   Plants will offset readily, and dense clumps can be produced in a very few years.

Propagation: Through seeds and cuttings.


Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of  Mammillaria grusonii

Home | E-mail | Plant files | Mail Sale Catalogue | Links | Information | Search

All the information and photos in cactus art files are now available also in the new the Enciclopedia of Cacti. We hope you find this new site informative and useful.