Ladyfinger cactus
Also called Gold lace cactus, Lady finger cactus.
| Light | full sun |
|---|---|
| Water | Every 18 days in the growing season, every 60 in winter |
| Humidity | low |
| Difficulty | easy |
| Height | Up to 15 cm (6 in) tall |
| Pets | Cats not known, dogs not known |
Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control, toxic and non-toxic plants, no entry for Mammillaria elongata.
A cactus for people who are not sure they want a cactus: clumps of short finger thick stems, densely covered in golden or white spines arranged in neat spirals, spreading sideways into a low mound over years. It flowers readily too, in a ring of small cream or pink flowers around the top of each stem, which most cacti will not do indoors. It needs one thing and the absence of another. The one thing is direct sun, as much as a windowsill can give it. The absence is winter water: from autumn to spring it wants none, and a cactus watered through a dark cold winter is the commonest casualty on any windowsill.
Ailments observed
| A soft or mushy base to the stem | Watered in winter, which is the only way to kill it. Stop watering from October to March in the north, or April to September in the south. If the base has gone soft, cut off a healthy head and root it dry. |
|---|---|
| Long bare stems and pale new leaves | Not enough light, so the stems stretch and go pale at the tips. Move it to the brightest window. The stretched section stays stretched, and the plant will thicken again above it. |
Filed underPlants that forgive a beginner, Succulents and cacti, Plants for infrequent watering, Plants for a balcony or a small space
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