Maureen Gilmer
Family
Cactaceae
Botanical Name
Mammillaria bocasana
Plant Common Name
Snowball Cactus
General Description
Delightful flowers and brightly colored fruit make this small, nearly flat cactus a favorite indoors and for small outdoor gardens. This species is native to a relatively small area in San Luis Potosi and Zacatecas, Mexico. It's either found beneath nurse shrubs (shrubs that shelter other plants in Mediterranean and montane ecosystems) or wedged in at the base of boulders where plants are protected from direct afternoon sun. In the low desert this protection is essential to survival.
This little cactus produces creamy white to pink flowers which rise in wreath-like bands from older wart-like projections along the surface of the cactus, called tubercles. The flowers are followed by tiny, bright red, oval to linear fruits. The plants initially have a single rounded parent plant that eventually produces offsets around its periphery. Mature specimens have a tidy, mounded appearance.
In the wild, this cactus is found along boulder strewn ground where its roots are kept cool beneath the rock. For this reason it is often grown in elevated rock gardens and south facing slopes. Garden grown specimens require perfectly drained medium and high light.
Snowball cactus is an easy keeper perfect for dish gardens and shallow bowls. Older specimens can really spread as their outer offsets continue to expand and require a very wide container. Remember it is very small and will be overlooked in large spaces. It is best grown close to outdoor living areas and in carefully composed small desert garden settings.
Ornamental Features
-
Flower Interest
Showy
-
Fragrant Flowers
No
-
Fragrant Fruit
No
-
Fragrant Foliage
No
-
Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
-
Repeat Bloomer
No
-
Showy Fruit
Yes
-
Edible Fruit
No
-
Showy Foliage
No
-
Evergreen
Yes
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Showy Bark
No
