I have one. It seems quite manageable on its own roots, provided you give good drainage. It is a single head but has at least five buds on now. You'll love the flowers, very large and showy, lots of pictures on the net. I don't have experience in hot climates, this is a mountain species and might not like your summer so much.

As a point of interest, the plant has never been legally exported from Mexico so all plants are technically illegal, but it is now quite widespread in cultivation. It was named in 1999It was only discovered in 1996.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mammillaria luethyi

EP,

Yes, as S&B has said, it's been out a few years - it's a very attractive plant. I have one (also grafted), but I've been told that, if one is careful watering it, it will grow quite well on its own roots.

I have one on it's own roots and that does fine too. It hasn't seemed particularly choosy.

It flowered lovely last year and they do have beautiful big showy flowers. I don't think it has done anything yet this year but our spring has been late coming and I daren't water the cacti in case they rotted because of the cold.
Warmer temps have finally come now so I think I'll give them a drink anytime now and wake them up.

You got yourself a good plant there, look after it.

Toni-Marie

That's a beautiful cactus!!! Any one have any suggestions where I could find one?

As always, Miles2Go or Mesa Garden are the first places to look. At this time, Miles has them grafted. They will be hard to find on their own roots but pups can be rooted down with a little care. I'm sure they are available other places too.

Here is a link that might be useful: M. luethyi

I germinated a luethi from seed and grafted the seedling.
The cactus has grown quite well. I have photos from the seedling to the current plant. I expect some flowers in next spring.

Here is a link that might be useful: luethyi

Frank,
You went from seedling to that in one year??? WOW!!! Great job.
Dan
Lincoln, NE USDA 5

Frank, you simply say "has grown quite well" ??
That's really impressive, I have never thought a seedling could grow so much in 1 year, even if grafted!

It's not an April fool's trick, is it? :)

Alessandro

The germination success ratio of luethyi was very bad. I sowed 30 seeds and just one of them was germinatd. I grafted the seedling, about 2mm diameter.

I use Harrisia jusbertii as the root stock. Scions grafted on jusbertii are normally grown quickly ie from seedling to flowering size within a year.

Frank

Thanks for the feedback all. This past weekend we had the Austin Cactus and Succulent Society show and there was actually a vendor with several of these- including one in flower.

The big thrill for me was seeing those and realizing mine is not a seedling but actually a full grown multi-headed plant! A nice surprise and I hope to see flowers soon.

My big find this weekend though was a couple of robust cuttings of Alluaudia montagnacii. Been looking quite a while for that plant!

The genetic pool of Mammillaria luethyi plants outside Mexico is very small and this is probably the reason why people report very poor seed germination. I don't know exactly how many plants have been smuggled out of Mexico, but not many, and none legally. For a long time, all plants in circulation were clones from a single specimen. Seed sown in Mexico in preparation for official exports did, so far as I know, germinate well.

M. luethyi pups like mad when grafted but that is still a huge plant for one year old. Root down all those pups and you could supply most of Oz :)

You won't be disappointed; those are the going rage right now... Erik

Here is a link that might be useful: M. luethyi