| Description | Feather Cactus (Mammillaria plumosa) is a clustering cactus covered in dense, soft white spines that resemble feathers, which gives it a fluffy appearance. |
|---|---|
| Plant Type | Cactus, Indoor Foliage, Perennial Tender |
| Sunlight | full, sunny |
| Moisture | Dry out between watering, drought-tolerant |
| Soil & Site | well-drained, gritty |
| Growing Media | Well-drained Cactus and Succulent mixes |
| Temperature | Will not survive a frost. |
| Flowers | Tiny, pink and white striped flowers tend to appear in late summer and have a sweet fragrance. |
| Leaves | The spine clusters emerge from the top of the tubercles, resembling an umbrella cascading around the tubercle. They provide shade to the plant from intense sunlight. Each spine appears feathery (plumose). |
| Roots | Reddish seed pods. |
| Dimensions | Mounded clusters of small, round offsets 5.0" tall and 16.0" wide. |
| Propagation | seeds, divisions of offsets |
| Native Site | This species is from Northeastern Mexico and grows on cliffs from Salittilo to Monterrey. |
| Misc Facts | Plants grown in a protective site will be cleaner and whiter. Plants grown outdoors, where soil can be splashed on the white spines, will lose some of their luster. |
| Notes & Reference | #15-Cactus Lexicon (Backeberg) |
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