Mammillaria Hahniana Care InfographicThe Mammillaria hahniana, popularly known as the “Old Lady Cactus,” is a powder puff form of the cactus, a unique characteristic that makes it the best candidate for your home garden.
The combination of the spherical stems and the red-purple-hued flowers is enough to give your garden the zest that you will never find anywhere else.
This article is a compilation of care tips from a couple of experts in cactus plant parenting. Saturate yourself with all the knowledge that you need by going through this complete guide.
What Is Mammillaria Hahniana?
Mammillaria hahniana is a flowering cactus with stems that are clustered into a spherical shape. The surface of the stems is covered with hair-like spines that are white in color. This plant can grow up to 10 inches in height and 20 inches in width.
Mammillaria Hahniana Care
Take care of a Mammillaria cactus is quite an enjoyable experience as the plant is easy to take care of. However, no matter how easy something might be, a lack of knowledge usually messes things up. This is why we encourage you to go through this section so that you attain the know-how for parenting the old woman cactus and give it the best life ever.
– Light Requirements
Since the Mammillaria hahniana can be grown either as a houseplant or outdoor plant, understanding the light requirements for this plant is crucial.
This slow-growing plant should be exposed to sufficient light conditions for it to grow healthy and attractive. Bright, indirect light is most appropriate for this plant.
If you are growing the Mammillaria hahniana as a houseplant, find the brightest area where you can place it. We recommend that you strategically position your plant close to a south-facing window, where it is more likely to receive the amount of light that it needs.
Take note that while windows are the best spot for providing your plant with relevant light during warmer seasons, they are also the coldest during the colder seasons. It is, therefore, crucial to know when to place your plant close to windows.
Generally, the Mammillaria hahniana will grow well if you expose it to approximately four to six hours of light, regardless of whether you are growing it indoors or outdoors. Sometimes, it is difficult to get enough sunlight for your Mammillaria cactus inside the house. You can use a grow light in such cases.
– Water Requirements
The watering needs of your plant are less demanding when you are growing it as an outdoor plant. This is because there are times when your plant will be watered by the rain.
You can still water the plant just like you would if you were growing it indoors, in which case you would have to water the plant once every week during the summer months.
Significantly reduce your watering frequency during the winter. This is due to the fact that this is the time when the plant has to cool down and lie dormant for a while. Moreover, slightly depriving your plant of water during the winter helps it to flower.
Your indoor-based Mammillaria hahniana is more likely to require less water than the one that you grow outdoors, especially if the houseplant is not exposed to much light.
Steer clear from misting your old lady cactus to avoid promoting waterlogged conditions that can cause root rot. Let the plant’s soil dry completely before you give your Mammillaria hahniana another drink.
Using a finger to test if the topsoil is dry is a good practice to employ. Alternatively, you can use moisture meters and other moisture detectors which are more precise.
– Soil Requirements
The soil for your Mammillaria hahniana should be porous enough to allow for good drainage. Avoid using clay soils as they are too compacted to allow aeration and remarkable drainage. Instead, use a normal cactus mix.
It is possible to further enhance the aeration and drainage capacity of the old lady cactus by adding perlite at a ratio of 1:1. Replacing the perlite with sand will also yield similar results. In some cases, you can also mix cactus mix, coarse sand and perlite for a remarkably porous potting mix.
– Temperature Requirements
The Mammillaria hahniana cannot tolerate temperatures that go above 100 F as these can scorch the plant. When atmospheric temperatures are that high, move your plant to shadier spots to protect it from sunburn. You can also consider using shade cloths, especially if you stay in regions where the temperatures are naturally high throughout the year.
The Mammillaria hahniana plant is fairly able to resist frost when it is exposed to colder environments. This is especially true when you keep the plant dry during the winter season.
You can tell from this information that the old lady cactus is a hardy plant that is rarely affected by changes in environmental conditions, as long as the fluctuations are not too extreme.
There are instances where the Mammillaria hahniana plants are reportedly able to survive temperatures below 23 F or even 10 F. The trick is in keeping the plant as dry as possible and warming it up using sunlight whenever this is feasible.
– Fertilizing Requirements
Naturally, the Mammillaria hahniana plant thrives best in soils that are rich in potassium. Therefore, adding a fertilizer that contains high amounts of potassium promotes vigorous growth of the plant.
Add the potassium fertilizer during the summer, which is the Mammillaria hahniana growing season.
Your fertilizer of choice should have a low nitrogen content because high amounts of this element can burn your plant. Again, if you overfeed your plant, you will promote green growth while reducing the blooming capacity of your plant.
– Humidity Requirements
The average humidity level requirements of cactus plants such as the Mammillaria hahniana is 40 to 60 percent. This is easily achieved in indoor locations during the summer months, but it is still best to procure humidity meters or hygrometers to be sure.
– Pruning
Pruning the Mammillaria hahniana is not necessary, considering that the plant does not have leaves that can overgrow. The spines and flowers of this plant are always in order.
– Repotting
Considering that the Mammillaria hahniana grows at a relatively slow rate, the probability that you will need to repot the plant more often is quite low. You might just need to repot the plant once in a number of years.
Unlike other plants that are repotted for their crowded roots, the old lady cactus actually thrives well when it becomes rootbound.
One of the reasons why you might need to repot your plant is if its top part outgrows the pot and becomes too heavy. If the pot of your plant becomes overcrowded with offsets, you might also need to transfer your Mammillaria hahniana to a bigger pot.
More importantly, as the plant grows, its soil becomes depleted of nutrients while salts build up. If you want your plant to keep growing, then you have no choice other than to repot it.
– How to Repot
Before you repot your plant, check if its roots are still healthy and undamaged. Trim off all the unhealthy parts of the plant to enhance better growth. Spray some hydrogen peroxide or a fungicide of your choice on the cut areas to avoid fungal infections.
Do not water the soil before uprooting your Mammillaria hahniana because it is easier to shake off dry soil than wet one.
Propagation
Due to the physiology of the Mammillaria hahniana, you have greater chances of successfully propagating it if you use offsets. Other methods that work well for other cactus plants, like division and grafting, are not the best choices when it comes to the old lady cactus.
– Propagation Through Offsets
Before you start the propagation procedure, put on your protective gloves. Consider using cardboard or foam to further protect your fingers from the sharp spines of the Mammillaria hahniana.
Remove the offsets from the mature mother plant in a gentle manner to ensure that the roots are not damaged.
Spread out a paper towel on a flat surface and place the offsets on top of it so that they can dry well. The rate at which the offsets will dry out will depend on the humidity of the region where you are staying.
The higher the humidity, the slower the drying process and vice versa. The cut end will develop a callus upon drying and you can dip the callused part into a rooting hormone to hasten the development of roots.
Prepare a well-draining potting mix in a small pot. Plant the offsets into this potting mix and be sure to water them at least once a week or when the soil is dry. Do not expose the plant to direct sunlight until it has been fully established. This may take a couple of weeks.
– Propagation Through Seeds
Propagating the Mammillaria hahniana plant through seeds is possible but it is a hectic and lengthy process. Take note that it takes quite a long time before the seeds germinate.
Problems
Caring for the Mammillaria hahniana is not without its own challenges. In this section, we will explore some of the issues that you should be prepared to deal with as you parent the old lady cactus.
– Unflowering Mammillaria Hahniana
While you want your plant to bloom, it is crucial that you understand that it is not always the case that a Mammillaria hahniana will bloom.
Remember that this plant blooms before it reaches the stage of maturity. Therefore, the stage at which it should bloom cannot be predetermined. Simply waiting for its time to bloom could be all that you can do.
– Promote Flowering
Low atmospheric temperatures like the ones that are experienced in winter promote the flowering of the Mammillaria hahniana.
Don’t forget to adjust your watering patterns so that you give your plant as little water as possible. Normal watering patterns can deter the old lady cactus from developing flowers.
In cases where the plant sits in water for prolonged periods of time, it might completely lose its ability to flower.
It is possible to encourage your Mammillaria hahniana to bloom during the summer and spring seasons. Simply increase your watering patterns steadily while also fertilizing your plant after every two weeks of the plant’s growing season.
Make sure the fertilizer is diluted to half or quarter strength. This way, blooming might commence during late winter and continue well into the spring and summer.
– Fungal Infections
Fungal infections are the main disease that you might encounter when you are taking care of your Mammillaria hahniana plant. Usually, these diseases attack your plant as a result of overwatering and other watering discrepancies that are unhealthy to the old lady cactus.
Adding a natural net on top of the drainage layer is one of the interventions that you can adopt to protect your gorgeous pincushion plant from fungal attacks. You can use waterless fibers such as dried moss for this purpose. You can then sprinkle activated charcoal on top of the dried fiber prior to adding the topsoil.
– Pests
Beware of scale and mealybugs during your journey of caring for your Mammillaria hahniana. These pests can be good at hiding, so detecting their presence can be difficult, especially with the spines of the plant. Mealybugs and scale are both sucking pests that survive by drinking the sap of your plant.
Check your beauty for anything that looks like a waxy, cottony-like substance as this is what mealybugs appear like. Scale, as the name suggests, look like small, harmless scales on the surface of the parts of your plant. Beneath it, there will be tiny organisms feeding on the vitality of your plant.
– What To Do
Immediately isolate your plant from the others the moment you notice the presence of mealybugs and scale. Wash the affected plant using a stream of water such as that from a garden hose.
If the pests are still present in small numbers, you can dab each of them using cotton rolls dipped in 70 percent isopropyl alcohol. For larger infestations, you can use Neem oil, insecticidal soap, or spray alcohol onto the plant.
FAQ
Does it matter what time of day Mammillaria Hahniana is watered?
Yes, it’s best to water Mammillaria Hahniana in the morning so excess moisture can evaporate before night.
Should you dunk Mammillaria Hahniana in water?
No, avoid dunking Mammillaria Hahniana as it can lead to rotting of the roots and base.
Is Mammillaria Hahniana bottom watered?
Yes, Mammillaria Hahniana can be bottom watered by placing it in a tray of water for 10-15 minutes to absorb moisture.
Conclusion
You would probably agree with the fact that the Mammillaria hahniana is an exciting plant and so are its care requirements and procedures. Let’s have a recap of the main points again for your reference:
- Bright, indirect light is conducive for the proper growth of your Mammillaria hahniana plant.
- Make sure the soil of your plant is dry before you water it again so that it won’t sit in water. Be sure to grow your old lady cactus in porous, well-draining soil.
- The Mammillaria hahniana is fairly frost-resistant but cannot endure temperatures that exceed 100 F.
- You can add potassium-rich fertilizers to your plant to boost its growth, and you can repot your Mammillaria hahniana if its top becomes too big or just to replenish the nutritional supply from its substrate.
- Propagation of the Mammillaria hahniana can be done through offsets or seeds. Be on the lookout for fungal infections and pests like mealybugs and scale.
Knowledge is power and it works by applying it as needed. It’s now time to apply the theoretical information that you learned from this article and turn it into practical experience in taking care of the Mammillaria hahniana.
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