How often does the mammoth cactus bloom: when it blooms, why does it happen that the buds do not appear, can or not this period be extended, as well as home care

In the cactus family there are many of the most diverse genera. One of them is called mammillaria. The plant is especially beautiful during the flowering period.

In vivo, these costless cacti can be seen in vast areas of the southern United States and all the way to central South America. At home, the flower takes root well.

Lovers of indoor plants love to grow it. But many are wondering if the cactus is blooming or not. Let us consider in more detail the issue of flowering.

What are the flowering species?

Mammillaria are different, there are about 200 species of these plants. Many of them bloom. The most common are.

Wild

This cactus blossoms with Mammillaria Vilda with white small flowers, in the middle of which there is a yellow core.

Zeilman

Cactus bloom can last up to 6 months, while the cylinder of the cactus is covered with small pink inflorescences.

Luti

The pear-shaped heads of Luti's mammillaria have rare needles. During flowering, 2-3 large flowers with violet edges and a whitish core are formed on them. In diameter, the flowers reach 3 cm.

Proliferator

These little Prolifera balls have long yellowish spines. One flower with the same yellow base blooms on their surface.

Blossomfield

Blossfeld's Mammillaria looks like a ball with yellowish spines. This species blooms with large pink flowers.

Carmen

Carmen has dense and oval stems. During flowering, it is abundantly covered with small white flowers.

How often, when and for how long does flowering last?

On average, this cactus blooms once a year, but some species delight hosts with the more frequent appearance of flowers. Cactus buds appear after wintering, they can be seen already in January. With proper care and watering in March, you will be able to see the first flowers. The buds will develop throughout the month, so during this period, watering should be enhanced, but balanced. On average, flowering lasts up to six months.

Features of the period

Since mammillaria has different subspecies, the flowers are different for everyone. Most often, flowering begins in spring. Most species have yellow, red, or pink flowers. The diameter of the flowers varies from 2-3 mm to 3 cm.

After the flower withers, fruits appear in its place. They have a green, brown or orange color. Fruits can be on a flower for a long time, up to 6 months. After opening the seed box, you can collect the seeds. The flowering period is short, in some representatives it lasts only a day.

How to renew?

In winter, it is necessary to provide the plant with complete rest. The air in the room should be dry and cool, and in addition, watering is reduced.
Winter temperature should be between 8-12 degrees.
After the flower opens, it is necessary to create heat in the room, the temperature rises to 20-22 degrees.
You will need to water the cactus first once every 7 days, then 1 time in 3 days.
Feeding is done every 10 days.
At the same time, in order for the flower to feel comfortable and flowering to be frequent and long, it is necessary to choose the right pot. Cacti prefer small and slightly tight containers. In a large pot, mammillaria can stop flowering altogether.

Reference. Some species of mammillaria bloom in the winter. In this case, the flower is provided with artificial lighting and daylight hours are increased to 16 hours.

Further care at home

Special care after flowering is not needed. Everything is carried out according to the usual scheme:

Lighting should be good, in the afternoon you can slightly shade the flower.
The optimum temperature is 20-23 degrees.
Watering is carried out once every two days or after the top layer of the soil dries. In no case should you fill the flower.
The air should be dry, in the summer you can periodically spray the plant from the spray gun, but not in direct sunlight.

In detail about the care of a cactus, Mammillaria at home and in the open ground we talked about in this article.

Why don't the buds appear, and how to make the plant bloom?

As mentioned above, the absence of flowering in a plant can be for two main reasons:

The youth of the plant (if its age has not reached 3-4 years).
Bad or improper care.

On the first question, everything is clear. But at the expense of the second, what is the wrong care? It turns out flowers do not appear if in winter the room with the cactus was warm and humid.

What plants look like?

Mammillaria is similar to other domestic cacti in its appearance, only flowering is different, although in general even flowers have similar features with the following types of cacti:

Rainbow echinocactus;
Gimnokalitsium Mikhanovich;
Kleistocactus Strauss;
Trichocereus whitening;
Notocactus Otto.

Despite the fact that there are many varieties of mammillaria, experienced flower growers can immediately distinguish this beauty from the rest of the cacti. Caring for this plant is not difficult. In nature, mammillaria is very unpretentious and is not particularly demanding on climate or soil. Therefore, at home with minimal care, the cactus will delight with its charming flowering.