Copiapoa dealbata | World of Succulents

Scientific Name

Copiapoa dealbata F.Ritter

Synonyms

Copiapoa carrizalensis, Copiapoa cinerea var. dealbata, Copiapoa cinerea subsp. dealbata, Copiapoa malletiana, Echinocactus malletianus

Scientific Classification

Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Notocacteae
Genus: Copiapoa

Description

Copiapoa dealbata is a cespitose, grayish-white, globular cactus, forming with time imposing mounds up to 3.3 feet (1 m) tall and more than 6.6 feet (2 m) wide. Individual head is globose to short cylindrical, up to 6.4 inches (16 cm) in diameter and with apex wool-covered. It has only 1 single spine up to 2 inches (5 cm) long (sometimes 1 to 3 smaller) from the areoles. They are needle-like, black to light brown, becoming grayish white with time. The flowers are pale yellow, up to 1.4 inches (3.5 cm) long and in diameter. The appear in summer. It is not unusual for Copiapoa to take 6 to 10 years before it starts blooming.

Photo via flickr.com

Hardiness

USDA hardiness zones 10b to 11b: from 35 °F (+1.7 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).

How to Grow and Care

Despite the extreme and specific conditions in habitat, Copiapoas as a whole are surprisingly easy in cultivation. From seed sewing to the care of mature plants, this genus is very forgiving. While staying manageable in size, Copiapoa in cultivation will flower from a young age and reliably so each following year.

These cacti want exposure to half or full sun. If they are in full sun, they must be in a position with good air circulation or they risk sunburn.

Watering should be extremely poor. The soil must dry out completely between waterings. They should, however, be suspended during mid summer. In this period instead of watering it will be appropriate to spray the plant early in the morning, before the temperature warms up, thus simulating the conditions that they would have in their natural environment.

The soil should be formed from a mineral substrate (for example, granite crumbled) mixed with very little universal soil… – See more at: How to Grow and Care for Copiapoa