Growth Habits: Small clumping plant with fuzzy wool and hooked spines each head is up to 2.5 inches (6 cm)
Scientific name: Mammillaria bocasana
Common names: Powder Puff Cactus.
Synonym: Ebnerella haehneliana, Mammillaria seideliana, Chilita kunzeana, Mammillaria bocasana var. kunzeana, Neomammillaria kunzeana, Ebnerella kunzeana, Mammillaria kunzeana, Chilita knebeliana, Chilita haehneliana, Mammillaria knebeliana, Mammillaria haehneliana, Ebnerella bocasana, Chilita bocasana, Neomammillaria bocasana, Ebnerella knebeliana
Etymology: Mammillaria: From the Latin word mammilla, meaning nipple or teat.
The species name "bocasana" For the Sierra de Bocas Mountain range in Mexico.
Origin: Central Mexico (San Luis Potosi)
Light: Full sun.
Compost: A free draining standard cactus mix.
Water: Regular water in spring to autumn.
Flower: The normal flower colour is yellowish brown but but there is also a pink flowered form.
Min temp: reports vary, i have seen references from -2C to -12C (28F to 10F)
Cultivation: Easy to grow and remains quite a small plant.
Comments: there are various ssp and cultivars of this plant around with either more wool or variations of flower colour,in particular there is a well known very strange looking cultivar known as Mammillaria bocasana "Fred"
The seed pods are long and thin,red in colour, easy to grow from seed plants will flower from as young as 2 years old.
Other images:
Pink flowered form,
Plant showing seed pods,
Mammillaria bocasana "Fred"
Image kindly provided by Tony.
