Mammillaria spinosissima

Mammillaria spinosissima
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Core eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Cactaceae
Genus:	Mammillaria
Species:	M. spinosissima
Binomial name
Mammillaria spinosissima (Kuntze) Lem.
Synonyms
Mammillaria auricoma, Mammillaria pitcayensis, Mammillaria pilcayensis, Mammillaria centraliplumosa, Mammillaria haasii, Mammillaria gasterantha, Mammillaria crassior, Mammillaria virginis

Mammillaria spinosissima, nicknamed the red-headed Irishman, is a type of cactus that grows in Guerrero, endemic to Mexico. It is very easy to grow, and produces seeds on its own by being self fertile. Because of this the "red headed Irishman" is commonly cultivated around the world, often found in plant nurseries and private collections.

Cylindrical plants up to 8 to 12 inches in height, produces large amounts of magenta to light pink coloured flowers usually in a ring shape around the apex of the cactus. There are several different subspecies and cultivars of this Mammillaria species such as, Mammillaria spinosissima subsp. pilcayensis, Mammillaria spinosissima subsp. tepoxtlana, and the crested form Mammillaria spinosissima f. un pico cristata. .^[1]

References

1. ^ http://www.absolutelycactus.com/absolutelycactus_pages/mamillaria_redheaded_irishman.html . retrieved 29th July 2009

Mammillaria spinosissima cv. 'un pico'

Mammillaria spinosissima flowers