flowering vs growing

Hello, I have this ca. 20 yr old, 25 cm wide Mamm. rekoi that keeps on growing nicely but has stopped flowering for a long time, last time in spring 2005. Does this species have specific needs for flowering, different from other Mammillarias?

Thank you!

Francesc M.

Hi,
I don't think there are specific conditions for this species. You obviously had the right conditions 10 years ago, and it looks as though the plant has grown a lot.
Has anything changed?
All plants need good light, especially in winter, to help flowering.
Nutrients that help flowering are potassium and phosphorus, so a soil mix that favours these, or a fertiliser that has more of these than nitrogen would also be good.
Some Mamm species (like senilis for example) like a bit of cold during the winter rest to help them form flowers in Spring, but as this species comes from Oaxaca, I would not think this is the case here.

Hi Chris, thank you for looking into this. I grow many other Mammillaria under the same conditions [full sun; sparse watering; occasional fertilizer] and they all seem to do well except this particular species. Who knows, perhaps it decided to put all its energy in crowding the pot and forgot about flowering.

All best wishes,

Francesc M.

a cool and wet spring brought some color to the reluctant flowerer (11 years after...)

Glad to see it hasn't lost the knack of flowering, even if it is only on one head. I think you are right about its energy going into filling the pot, as I don't remember seeing a M. rekoi that has offset to such a degree. Maybe now it will turn its talent to more flowers.