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Mammillaria slevinii
An eye-catching plant, but not the easiest species to grow.
Should be carefully watered, especially in light of its small root
system.
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Description: Clustering
cylindrical cactus with spines nearly obscuring the stem
Stem: Columnar, pale green, up to 20 cm tall, 6 cm in diameter
branching basally
Tubercles: Broadly conical, without latex. The
axil is woolly, especially in the flowering zone and bears few
bristles, white with dark brown tips.
Central spines: 4 to 8, with sometimes one hooked, white with
brown tips, 8 - 10 mm long.
Radial spines: 14-21 , white, 5 - 8 mm long.
Flowers: Around the top, white to pale pink., with pinkish mid-veins,
up to 20 mm in diameter.
Blooming season: June, August.
Fruits: Club-shaped, orange to red, 10 - 18 mm.
Seeds: Nearly round, black.
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Mammillaria slevinii
forms rings of showy white to pale pink
flowers with a pinkish midvein in summer.
Cultivation: It is slow-growing, and not especially easy to grow. Use
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, keep very dry in
winter. Feed
with a high potassium fertilizer in summer.
Usually it is recommended to
overwinter this plant in a bright and warm greenhouse with at least
8-10° C, but it has proved to be quite
frost resistant
(if kept dry, it's hardy as low as -5° C).
Strong light is required for flowering.
Some plants will offset readily, and clumps can be produced in a very
few years.
Propagation: Direct sow after last frost, or use
cuttings.
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