Now I'm excited

[iann]

Doesn't look much, but that's the bud of a white flower on Mammillaria senilis. First time on this seedling, been looking forward to white flowers for a long time.

[Diane]

Excellent, Ian! I lost my white flowered form a few years ago, but now have some young seedlings, so fingers crossed they will be true (if I live long enough! ) My normal red form seems to abort buds very readily - I’ve recently placed a plant that had 7 buds just visible into a propagator with lights and watered it, but only one bud is developing. Two much larger plants are showing no signs of buds at all this year.

[iann]

Excellent, Ian! I lost my white flowered form a few years ago, but now have some young seedlings, so fingers crossed they will be true (if I live long enough! ) My normal red form seems to abort buds very readily - I’ve recently placed a plant that had 7 buds just visible into a propagator with lights and watered it, but only one bud is developing. Two much larger plants are showing no signs of buds at all this year.

I think it was your plant I saw a few years back that convinced me I had to grow this.

[Diane]

Aah, how time flies! This was it seven years ago, in all its glory!

Mammillopsis senilis white flowered form

[juster]

Beautiful plant Diane, such a shame that you have lost it. I've never kept either form for more than a few years, I don't try any more

[Christian]

There are no buds on my M. senilis this year either. I wonder whether the gloomy autumn/winter had an effect on this? They are never as exuberant as yours has been, Diane, but they usually produce at least a few flowers.

[Diane]

Yes, Christian, I do wonder whether a lack of sun is the problem, it’s been a pretty dull winter this year.

[el48tel]

Nor on mine

[Ali Baba]

Plenty of buds on mine (red form), looking like they will be open in a week or two. I must have a good clone as it has flowered reliably each year since it started to flower. I raised it from seed from Doug Rowlands list I think

[Ali Baba]

This was mine on 10th April last year, I’m guessing it will be much earlier this year