Mammillaria elongata, AKA gold lace cactus or ladyfinger cactus, is a small plant that requires bright light to thrive. It’s a non-toxic cactus for people and animals.
This is a flowering cactus species that produces pink-yellow in colors. Ladyfinger cactus blooms from spring to summer and produces small fruits. The gold lace cactus flowers are pretty small, and it’s around 2cm in diameter.
This cactus is a plant that needs minimal care and can easily and rapidly reproduce. Since Mammillaria elongata care is minimum, even a beginner can grow it without much effort. Although you must ensure the correct growing conditions.
Ladyfinger cactus are native to Mexican (state of Hidalgo). It is a pretty small cactus, and it grows a maximum of 2inch to 5 inches (6 and 15cm) in length and 0.5 inches to 1.3inch (1.5 to 3.5cm) in diameter. This cactus variety has a similar shape to mammillaria elongata cristata.
Tiny spines effectively protect the stem of the cactus in white colors. Each spine grows around 6 to 12 mm. This little thorn grows in the form of a flower.
How To Care Mammillaria Elongate Cactus.
Mammillaria elongata care is minimum. It needs a fast drain soil mix and bright light to thrive.
Soil mix.
Mammillaria elongata require a well-drained, loose, rocky, sandy potting mix. You can use a commercial cactus soil mix with few inorganic ingredients to make it more porous and well drain.
Indoor Mammillaria elongata soil mix.
Mammillaria elongata requires very little moisture when grown indoors. Therefore, your ladyfinger cactus soil mix should be consist of more inorganic matters.
- Pine Bark 40% – ¼ inch (66mm) or similar particles size. 4 parts.
- Coarse sand, gritty mix, Turface 40% – Ideal particles size is ¼ inch (6mm). 4 parts.
- Perlite/pumice 20%. 2parts.
Pine bark provides enough nutrients and ensures moisture retaining on the gold lace cactus potting mix.
Coarse sands, gritty mix, or turface provide good aeration, looseness, rocky, and well-draining.
Perlite/pumice enhances the drainage by absorbing excess moisture on the ladyfinger cactus potting mix.
You can refer more to how to prepare DIY cactus soil mix by reading my previous post. That post covers more detail about ingredients how to mix and much more useful information.
Outdoor Mammillaria elongata soil mix.
Unlike indoors, when the cactus is growing outdoors, the soil mixture dries quickly. Therefore, frequent application of water can be limited by adding moisture-retaining ingredients.
- Cactus potting mix 40% – 4 parts.
- Coarse sand, gritty mix, Turface 40% – Ideal particles size is ¼ inch (6mm). 4 parts.
- Perlite/pumice 20%. 2parts.
According to the climate conditions, you can adjust the cactus potting mix to around +/-10%. This will help the regular watering requirements.
Tropical climate gardeners can add 15% of cocopeat (1 part) without changing the inorganic matters ratio.
You can read more about my how to make cactus soil post for more details. That guide covers everything about ingredients, mixing, and much more.
Water.
This is one of the essential things that Mammillaria elongata cares about. Water regularly. Depending on the ambient temperature, ladyfinger cactus watering varies.
Between two watering cycles, the potting mix should completely dry. You can check them by using a chopstick or moisture meter. Once the topsoil and subsoil are completely dried, then water thoroughly. Read how to check cactus potting mix moisture.
A good watering method is soaking and dry. Alternatively, you can squeeze a water bottle. While watering, do not touch the stem. It can use cactus stem rotting. Read full instructions about how to water cactus.
One of the overwatering early symptoms is the cactus turning yellow. Underwatered cactus symptoms are Shriveling, Wilting, and cactus brown tips.
Light.
Bright light is a critical factor in ladyfinger care. You have to provide the right light for the Mammillaria elongata. Otherwise, your cactus too tall, or will be reaching for a bright light source.
This plant can tolerate full to partial sun. In cooler climates, you can place it on a windowsill or in small greenhouses. Excessive bright light and low light symptoms are the cactus turning yellow.
When you keep your ladyfinger cactus on the windowsill rotate it every 3 to 4 days, otherwise, it will stretch towards the bright light direction. In winter you can provide bright grow light to prevent your cactus elongate.
Temperature.
Mammillaria elongata is not a cold hardy cactus. It can tolerate a minimum of 20° F ( -6.7° C ), below this level is harmful to the plant. Because it stores water on its stem. The best temperature for Mammillaria elongata is over 65°F (18°c).
During the winter months, make sure your plant is not exposed to 20°F (-6.7°C). It is recommended that the plant be moved to an indoor or greenhouse with the perfect ambient temperature when the region’s temperature drops below this level.
Fertilizer.
The recommended fertilizer is balanced liquid or slow releasing. Do not apply high nitrogen fertilizer; it can be harmful to fleshy plants. Cactus are slow-growing plants that require minimal nutrients to thrive.
The best time to fertilize cactus is spring to summer. During these periods, Mammillaria elongata actively grow. Do not fertilize in winter. Mammillaria elongata is a winter dormant cactus.
Repot.
Gold lace cactus does not grow fast and does not require annual replanting. It is best to replace the potting soil every 18 to 24 months.
Cactus prefer to grow on loose soil mix. When the potting mix is getting compact, that is the right time to repot Mammillaria elongata.
You can read more about this reading my how to repot cactus guide.
Propagation.
Ladyfinger cactus can propagate either division, offsets, or fruits. It produces fruit after blooming. These little fruits can be used the reproduce new plants.
Offsets: The division of offsets is the easiest method to propagate Mammillaria elongata. While the plant is getting mature, it produces small pups on its cactus stem.
Gently twist cactus pups and let them air dry for 2 – 3 days. It is necessary to air dry the remove offsets to prevent rotting. Place the pups in a shaded place without exposure to dry air. Once the cuttings are callous, you can place them on cactus propagation soil.
After planting the offsets on potting soil, water well. Usually, it will take around 3 to 4 weeks to sprout out new roots.
Divisions: When the Mammillaria elongata cactus gets older, it produces small plants around the mother plant. New plants can be obtained by separating the tiny plants that grow around the mother plant. Here you can separate the small plants from the mother plant by twisting. You can use a hand or a twister for this.
Let these separated cuttings air dry for 2 to 3 days. These times do not let the cuttings expose dry air or direct sun. It will damage the plant.
Once the cuttings are callous, you can directly plant them in cactus potting soil and water well.
Seeds/fruits: Once the Ladyfinger cactus produces small fruits, you can gently remove them using a twister.
Once pullout the fruits let the wounded skin callous naturally. Next, we need to ripe seeds. So gently remove the pods’ fleshy skin. Each Mammillaria elongata pop can contain several seeds, You can see an orange color small seeds on it. Let these tiny seeds air dry for two or three days.
Now you have to be more careful, these seeds are so small that they can float even in a very light breeze. Therefore air dries them in a closed container.
Now your Mammillaria elongata seeds are ready to plant. You can lay them on a fast-drain cactus potting mix and spray water.
For more information, see the cactus propagation post.
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