Ariocarpus retusus CITES P-IT-1006 | Chaute. Living rock
€63,60
🌱 Morphology
One of the largest Ariocarpus species, extremely slow-growing and unmistakable in appearance. It forms a globose-flattened, greenish-gray, bluish-green, or yellowish-green body that can reach about 20–25 cm in diameter. The tubercles are large, triangular, erect, and divergent, closely set at the base, with an acute or rounded tip and a smooth, convex, or slightly wavy surface. The apical areoles are small and, in mature specimens, practically spineless. A thick crown of wool protects the growing center and flower buds.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Endemic to northeastern Mexico, from Coahuila and Nuevo León to San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas. It lives in the Chihuahuan Desert, on stony limestone slopes and hills, at approximately 1,300 to 2,000 m altitude, although there are records at lower elevations. It belongs to the Cactaceae family, subfamily Cactoideae.
❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 9a
It tolerates minimum temperatures down to −6 ºC if kept dry and with well-acclimated specimens. The combination of cold and humidity is especially dangerous for its root system.
☀️ Lighting
It requires very intense lighting and several hours of direct sun. During active growth, a DLI PAR of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ is recommended, with progressive acclimation to avoid sunburn.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter dormancy. It is kept completely dry during the cold period. Its growth is very slow and its large taproot stores water, so it should not be watered frequently. In spring and summer, it is recommended to provide deep and widely spaced waterings, allowing the substrate to dry out completely. Mineral drainage and excellent aeration are essential.
🌸 Flowering
The flowers emerge from the apical wool mainly in autumn, a characteristic adaptation of the genus. They are large for the size of the plant, about 4–5 cm in diameter, usually white, although they may present cream or pink tones, or a reddish central vein.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with high levels of assimilable calcium and low nitrogen levels, such as Desert CHOICE® Cactaceae, is recommended, applied once a month when watering. Before flowering, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Flowering.
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a technological square pot and with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
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