Looks like more flowers to come. Should be a good show.

Or at least pollinating anything else from it. Distinct lack of pollen, although there is a bit on some shorter stamens right in the centre . I usually notice this on hybrids, so I don't know if some other genes have crept in. Others from the same batch of seed are normal.

Mammillaria carmenae

Not sure if this is the biggest species, but the biggest in my greenhouse. Escobaria laredoi.

I agree, easy from seed. Not so easy as adults though. They can take five or more years to reach flowering size, but good displays once they get going. Pediocactus except for P. simpsonii are much more tricky, but they flower younger.

Sorry for the not completely on topic post. I am new to posting and simply cannot work out how to post a new topic (sigh!), so replying to this one seems the least bad thing to do. I am looking for suggestions as to what these black bugs are on some of my cacti? They are particularly bad on this Ma...

Takes a year or two to hope you might have eradicated them. They're much more active later in the year. I've got my fingers crossed that I've at least got them under control. Haven't seen one so far this year, but I'm trying not to let my guard down.

Excellent! I very rarely get any Cheiridopsus to flower, and I don't get the leaves to turn that colour either. Maybe I just leave them out over winter ...

Nice. I'm not expecting flowers on mine for another month or two.

Definitely symmetrical.