This ever-popular species is prized for its dense, plumose (feathery) spination that completely covers the clumping, depressed-globose stems that form low, mounding plants. Under magnification, the spines do indeed look like extravagantly long ostrich feathers. Despite its delicate details, the plant is durable and not too terribly slow-growing so that clumps 30 cm (1') or more across are common in cactus shows. Not so common, are pink-flowered clones like that offered here of this normally white or ivory-flowered species. If this weren’t enough, the winter flowers are sweetly fragrant! The species is reported from the Mexican states of Coahuila and Nuevo León. Rooted offsets of HBG 53662, $7.
Published in the Cactus and Succulent Journal, Vol. 87 (3), May - June, 2015