The pincushion cactus is a tiny, round cactus that looks like a little cushion covered with pins, just like the kind people use when they are sewing! There are over 200 different kinds of pincushion cacti, and most of them come from Mexico and the southwestern United States.
- Most pincushion cacti are so small they can fit in the palm of your hand.
- Their scientific name is Mammillaria, which means “nipple” in Latin, because of the little bumps all over their surface.
- Some pincushion cacti can live for more than 20 years!
- After the flowers fall off, some types grow tiny red fruits that look like little hot peppers, and birds love to eat them.
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