This cactus has a cylindrical habit with short tubercles that have bristles in the axils, and crowned with needle-like whitish spines. The diurnal purplish funnel-shaped flowers appear during summer followed by red fruit.

Hardiness zones 9 to 10 

Mammillaria spinosissima is naturally found in North America growing in central Mexico in an open sunny position. It prefers a moderately fertile very well drained soils and tolerates drought or high temperatures but is frost tender.

This cactus is grown for its flowers and rounded habit. It is planted in arid or cactus gardens as a specimen or in rockeries and containers. It is a popular house plant establishing from offsets in 2 to 3 years and flowering when young. ID 1912

Mammillaria (măm-i-LAH-ree-a) spinosissima (speen-ō-SIS-ee-mah)

Cactaceae (kak-TAY-see-ee)