Mammillaria candida


Mammillaria candida, the snowball cactus, is a species of cactus endemic to Mexico. When treated as Mammilloydia candida, it was the only species in the genus Mammilloydia.

Description

Mammillaria candida is green, globe-shaped, but with age it becomes almost cylindrical. It can reach a diameter of about and a height of about. As is usual in the genus Mammillaria, this plant has no ribs. The flowers are pink or white. The plant is covered by fine white hair. The spines are short, very numerous, usually snow white or brown.

Distribution

This species originates from Mexico.

Habitat

The natural habitat of Mammillaria candida is the desert. It grows in the thickets of xerophytic shrubs on calcareous soils, at an altitude of above sea level.