Copiapoa dealbata

Scientific Name

Copiapoa dealbata F.Ritter

Synonym(s)

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 cactus that forms impressive mounds up to 3.3 feet (1 m) tall and more than 6.6 feet (2 m) wide. The stems are globular to short cylindrical and up to 6.4 inches (16 cm) in diameter. They are grayish-white with a wool-covered apex and have only one (sometimes 1 to 3 smaller) up to 2 inches (5 cm) long spine per areole. The spines are needle-like, black to light brown, becoming grayish-white with time. Flowers are pale yellow, up to 1.4 inches (3.5 cm) long, with a diameter about as long. They appear in summer. It usually takes 6 to 10 years before the stem blooms.

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 their natural habitats, Copiapoas as a whole are surprisingly easy to cultivate. From seed sewing to the care of mature plants, this genus is very forgiving. While maintaining 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 risk sunburn.

Watering should be extremely poor. The soil must dry out completely between waterings. Watering 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 they would have in their natural environment.

The soil should be formed from a mineral substrate (granite crumbled) mixed with very little universal soil.

See more at How to Grow and Care for Copiapoa.

Origin

This species is native to Chile.

Photo Gallery

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