Carried by 4 nurseries
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Mammillaria dioica, also called Strawberry Cactus, California Fishhook cactus, Strawberry Pincusion or Fishhook Cactus, is a species of the genus Mammillaria found in California and northwestern Mexico, including Baja California and the state of Sonora. It is one of the smallest cacti in California and may appear as a single stem or as a clump of numerous stems. Very large specimens can be up to 6" high but usually less. In desert areas it is most often found growing in very rocky areas, sometimes growing out of crevices in granite boulders in the desert-edge canyons. In San Diego County it is also found on the immediate coast growing on sandstone bluffs as part of Maritime Succulent Scrub. The plant possesses short, firm tubercles ending in the spines. Most of these spines are whitish and straight, but each tubercle has a longer central spine which is slightly curved and dark, leading to the Fishhook name. The flowers are small but showy. A closely related species is Mammillaria tetrancistra which is very similar in general appearance but has pink flowers.
Shrub, Succulent
6 in Tall
4 in Wide
Upright Columnar
Slow
Evergreen
None
White, Yellow
Winter, Spring
Containers, Deer resistant
Full Sun
Extremely Low, Very Low
Never irrigate once established
Fast
Rocky, sandy, sandstone, or decomposed granite.
17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Slopes and canyons of the southern desert and desert transition. Also coastal bluffs.
Chaparral, Coastal Sage Scrub, Creosote Bush Scrub, Pinyon-Juniper Woodland
Use with other desert or desert-edge species such as Indian Mallow (Abutilon palmeri), Desert Agave (Agave deserti), Desert Lavender (Condea emoryi), Cholla Cactus (Cylindropuntia spp.), Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa), Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus cylindraceus), Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens), Chuparosa (Justicia californica), Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia spp.), Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis), Apricot Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua), and Mojave Yucca (Yucca shidigera), as well as various desert annuals.
In coastal gardens, use with Shaw's Agave (Agave shawii), Sagebrush (Artemisia californica), Coast Cholla (Cylindropuntia prolifera), Dudleya spp., California Encelia (Encelia californica), Cliff Spurge (Euphorbia misera), Chuparosa (Justicia californica), Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia spp.), Chaparra Yucca (Hesperoyucca whipplei), and Mojave Yucca (Yucca shidigera)