Gold lace cactus Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Gold lace cactus

Scientific classification
Genus:	Mammillaria
Species:	elongata

The Mammillaria elongata, also known as the gold lace cactus or ladyfinger cactus, is a cool species of flowering plant. It belongs to the Cactaceae family, which is the cactus family! This plant originally comes from central Mexico.

It grows in dense groups, forming clusters of long, oval-shaped stems. These stems are covered in yellow or brown spines. Don't worry, these spines are usually harmless, even though they look sharp! In spring, this cactus blooms with pretty white or yellow flowers. The Mammillaria elongata is one of the most common and varied types of cacti in its group. It's also a very popular plant for people to grow at home. It even won an award called the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit!

What Does the Ladyfinger Cactus Look Like?
- Spines and Flowers
- Fruits and Seeds
Popular Types of Ladyfinger Cactus
Images for kids
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What Does the Ladyfinger Cactus Look Like?

This cactus grows in thick groups of stems. Each stem is shaped like a cylinder and can stand upright or lean sideways. They are usually about 6 to 15 centimeters (about 2 to 6 inches) long. Each stem is also about 1.5 to 3.7 centimeters (about 0.6 to 1.5 inches) wide.

The cactus body is a bright green color. It has small, cone-shaped bumps called tubercles. These bumps are about 2 to 4 millimeters long. At the end of each bump, there's a round, woolly spot called an areole.

Spines and Flowers

The Mammillaria elongata has two types of spines. It has about 15 to 30 short spines that spread outwards. These are called radial spines and are 6 to 12 millimeters long. They often cross over with spines from nearby parts of the plant.

It also has 1 to 3 central spines, which are sometimes missing. These central spines are usually yellow or golden.

The flowers of this cactus grow on the upper part of the stems. They are about 1.5 centimeters (about 0.6 inches) long and wide. Their petals are pale yellow or white and have small teeth. Sometimes, the petals have a darker or reddish line in the middle.

Fruits and Seeds

After the flowers bloom, the cactus produces fruits. These fruits are shaped like cylinders or small balls. They can be brown or red and contain many seeds. The Mammillaria elongata blooms a lot from late winter through early summer.