Origin and Habitat: Garden origin (Nursery produced cultivar)

• Mammillaria compressa f. cristata

• Mammillaria compressa DC.
• Cactus compressus (DC.) Kuntze
• Mammillaria angularis var. compressa (DC.) K.Schum.
• Mammillaria angularis f. compressa (DC.) Schelle
• Neomammillaria compressa (DC.) Britton & Rose
• Mammillaria compressa f. bernalensis (Repp.)
• Mammillaria bernalensis Repp.
• Mammillaria compressa var. fulvispina (K.Schum.) Borg
• Mammillaria angularis var. fulvispina K.Schum.
• Mammillaria angularis f. fulvispina (K.Schum.) Schelle
• Mammillaria compressa var. longiseta (Muehlenpf.) Borg
• Cactus longisetus (Muehlenpf.) Kuntze
• Mammillaria angularis var. longiseta (Muehlenpf.) Salm-Dyck ex K.Schum.
• Mammillaria angularis f. longiseta
• Mammillaria cirrhifera var. longiseta (Muehlenpf.) Salm-Dyck
• Mammillaria longiseta Muehlenpf.
• Mammillaria compressa var. rubrispina Borg
• Mammillaria compressa var. triacantha (DC.) Borg
• Mammillaria triacantha DC.
• Mammillaria conopea Scheidw.
• Mammillaria esseriana Boed.
• Mammillaria tolimensis R.T.Craig
• Neomammillaria tolimensis (R.T.Craig) Y.Itô
• Mammillaria tolimensis var. brevispina R.T.Craig
• Neomammillaria tolimensis var. brevispina (R.T.Craig) Y.Itô
• Mammillaria tolimensis var. longispina R.T.Craig
• Mammillaria tolimensis var. subuncinata R.T.Craig

• Mammillaria compressa subs. centralifera (Repp.) D.R.Hunt
• Mammillaria centralifera Repp.

• Mammillaria compressa cv. Yokan

Description: The standard Mammillaria compressaSN|11897]]SN|11897]] is a heavily clustering plant that form up to 1 m large cushions. It is among the most famous cacti for its easily clustering and easily flowering habit. The beautiful crested form develops huge brain-shaped hemispherical cushion. However there are several different crested clones, some of them very distinctive. (cf. Mammillaria compressaSN|11897]]SN|11897]] cv. Yokan) Older crested plant can get very large and are particularly priced.
Stems: Fan-shaped, bluish grey-green, up to 9 cm in width.
Tubercles: Prominent, close set, firm, bluntly angled and keeled. The Axil bears white wool and bristles. With latex.
Central spines: Absent.
Radial spines: 4-6, unequal, chalky white with brownish tips, 20-70 mm long, some very short.
Flowers: Bell shaped, purplish pink to deep red, 1-1,5 cm in diameter.
Blooming season: Winter, early spring.
Fruits: Club shaped, red.

Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001.
2) James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey "The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass" Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug/2011.
2) David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. "The New Cactus Lexicon" dh books, 2006.
3) John Pilbeam “Mammillaria: the cactus file handbook” Cirio Publishing Services Ltd Dec/30/1999.

Cultivation and Propagation: It is a rapid growing species . Water regularly in summer, but do not overwater (Rot prone) Use pot with good drainage and a very porous potting media, keep dry in winter. Feed with a high potassium fertilizer in summer. It is quite frost resistant if kept dry, hardy as low as -5° C (some reports give it hardy to -12°C) Outside full sun or afternoon shade, inside needs bright light, and some direct sun.
Propagation: By stem cuttings from adult plants in spring or summer or by grafting. Pieces of crest must be dried out for at least 3 weeks before planting in coarse river sand. This is quite an easy alternative and success is almost always guaranteed.