Image from Wikimedia / Peter A. Mansfeld
There are cacti so pretty they look like stuffed animals ... and I mean it literally. Its thorns are not only harmless but you want to caress them again and again, as is the case with the Mammillaria feathery.
This species is one of the most "cute" of the entire genus, and when it blooms it is quite a sight that you cannot stop seeing. Here you have its file so you know how it is and what its cares are.
Mammillaria feathery It is the scientific name of a cactus endemic to Mexico, specifically from Coahuila de Zaragoza, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas that is popularly known as biznaga plumosa. It is characterized by having a branched growth, with tubers (what I would call little "heads") that measure about 6 to 7cm in height by about 3-4cm in diameter.
The areolas are circular and have about 40 spines, all radial, white in color and soft to the touch. The flowers, which sprout in spring, are about 12-16mm long and yellowish. The brownish-pink fruit contains a large number of tiny black seeds.
Image from Wikimedia / Petar43
If we talk about its cultivation, it is extremely important to keep in mind that it hates waterlogging. It is enough that we go through the water once to lose it. Therefore, to avoid it I recommend planting it in simply pumice or river sand previously washed and putting it in full sun, since otherwise we would get it to etiolate, that is, to grow a lot and very fast looking for light, which would weaken it.
In addition, you have to water it very little: about 2 times a week in summer and every 15-20 days the rest of the year. Nor can we forget to pay it with a liquid cactus fertilizer following the indications specified on the package, during all the warm months of the year.
For the rest, we can have the Mammillaria feathery always outdoors if the temperature does not drop below -3ºC; Yes indeed, it is advisable to protect it from hail.