Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
White Owl's Eyes
White Owl's Eyes is a small blue-green Mexican cactus covered in white spines and wool. Each head splits in two as it grows, so a pair of round heads looks like a set of owl's eyes. Older plants build a mound of paired heads. Creamy flowers tinged with pink form a ring at the top of each head in spring. It suits pots, dish gardens and small cactus beds.
Best for: pots, dish gardens and small cactus beds where its paired, woolly heads can be seen up close. It slowly builds into a mound of heads.
Each head stays about 6 inches tall and 3 inches wide. The heads split into pairs over time, which fills a small pot nicely.
Creamy flowers tinged with pink form a ring at the top of each head in spring. The ring shows best against the white wool.
Older plants build a mound of paired heads. Its white spines and wool brighten a small bed of green cacti and aloes.
It can be damaged below about 25°F, so cover it on frost nights. Wet winter soil can rot it. Give it light shade in the Valley summer.
- Group planting1 ft apart
- Planted with more room2 ft apart
Wait about a week after planting before the first water. Then water about every other week while nights stay above 60°F. Once it is rooted, water when the soil has dried out in the warm months. Keep it dry in winter unless the winter is very dry.
It grows in full sun to light shade. In the Valley, give it light shade or afternoon shade in summer.
It can be damaged below about 25°F. On frost nights, cover it with frost cloth or a sheet that reaches the ground, not plastic, and take it off in the morning. Move pots under a patio roof on cold nights.
Use a pot with a drainage hole and a gritty cactus mix with plenty of pumice, perlite or coarse sand. Water it when the mix is dry, and keep it drier in winter.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Why is it called White Owl's Eyes?
Each head splits in two as it grows, so a pair of round, woolly heads looks like owl eyes. Older plants build a mound of these pairs.
How big does White Owl's Eyes get?
Each head grows up to about 6 inches tall and 3 inches wide. The plant spreads slowly as the heads keep splitting.
When does it bloom?
It blooms in spring with creamy flowers tinged with pink, set in a ring at the top of each head. Keep it in good light so it blooms.
Does it need shade in Phoenix?
It grows in full sun to light shade. In the Valley, give it light shade or afternoon shade in summer.
How often should I water it?
Wait about a week after planting, then water about every other week while nights stay above 60°F. Once it is rooted, water it when the soil has dried out in the warm months. Keep it dry in winter.
How cold can it take?
It can be damaged below about 25°F. On frost nights, cover it with frost cloth or a sheet down to the ground, and move pots under a patio roof.
What soil does it need in the Valley?
Plant it in soil that drains fast, like sandy or gravelly native soil, with no compost. If you hit caliche, break through it so water drains, or choose another spot.
How do I handle it without getting stuck?
Wear thick leather gloves, and wrap the plant in folded newspaper or cloth to lift it. Keep it away from spots where kids play.
White Owl's Eyes for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
White Owl's Eyes is Mammillaria parkinsonii from central Mexico. Its heads split in two as they grow, which gives the plant its name. Below is what to expect in a Valley pot or bed: size, sun, water, cold and flowers.
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What is White Owl's Eyes cactus?
It is Mammillaria parkinsonii, a small blue-green cactus from central Mexico. It is covered in white spines and wool.
How big does White Owl's Eyes get?
Each head grows up to about 6 inches tall and 3 inches wide. The heads split in pairs and slowly form a mound.
White Owl's Eyes flowers
Creamy flowers tinged with pink form a ring at the top of each head in spring.
Growing White Owl's Eyes in Phoenix
Plant it in fast-draining soil in bright light, with light shade in summer. Keep it dry in winter.
Is White Owl's Eyes cold hardy?
It can be damaged below about 25°F. Cover it with frost cloth on frost nights, and move pots under cover.
White Owl's Eyes in a pot
It is a good pot plant. Use a gritty cactus mix and a pot with a drainage hole, and let it dry between waterings.
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