Mammillaria bombycina 'Silken Pincushion'

An absolute stunner of a specimen, Mammillaria bombycina ‘Silken Pincushion’ features a typically solitary, columnar stem with a rich bluish green base hue. Most intriguing, however, is the arrangements of the tubercles and spines. When viewed from the side, the white and rusty red spines form a starburst pattern around each tubercle. While this is incredible on its own, the real magic happens when the stem is viewed from above – it is from this angle that the natural swirling pattern formed by the tubercles, a real-life example of the Fibonacci sequence at work, is made visible!

When provided with the bright to direct sunlight it prefers, ‘Silken Pincushion’ will also produce a ring of light pink to deep magenta blooms during the spring months. To keep this variety thriving, and to encourage the stems to reach their full 8 inch height, be sure to utilize a porous soil mixture within a well-draining pot and water in accordance with a thorough yet infrequent routine, such as the ‘soak and dry’ method.

During the winter months, it is important to protect ‘Silken Pincushion’ from freezing temperatures – though a period of exposure to cooler weather in the 45-55 degree range will actually encourage more prolific blooms in the springtime!