Mammillaria carnea

Hello-

I have a Mamm carnea with a ring of fruit. I have split open the fruit and under 2x magnification of the microscope; I see something of an orangish color inside the red fruit. Anyone have fruits on this species right now? Any comment on visibility of seed? I know some Mamm seed are very tiny.

Perhaps I am not giving the fruit long enough for seed development?

I have had some species, like Mamm crucigera, that produces fruit consistently - but never has any seed inside. Perhaps as many as 25% of the species I grow don't produce seed. Maybe this one is another one as well?

Thanks in advance!

Best regards, Lisa

Hi Lisa,

I'm not aware that M. carnea produces blind fruit as a regular thing. I know that M. crucigera does, as I got quite excited the first time I saw the fruit after flowering, but it happens all the time on that species. I don't have carnea fruit to check on, but it could well be a timing matter. I tend to harvest when the fruit is starting to dry up, as I have always believed that this most closely mimics nature, and nature would decide the time of highest viability.

Maybe that's a bit naïve, but I have failed with seed which I think was harvested too early.

Hi Chris-

Thank you. LOL on M. crucigera. I too was excited when I first found fruits; it's such a cool looking plant.

I do believe I have been harvesting seeds too soon. I'll give this one more time and see what happens.

Best regards, Lisa