Copiapoa hypogaea ‘Lizard Skin’ | Lizard skin
€42,40
🌱 Morphology
Very rare... A selection of Copiapoa hypogaea especially prized for its extraordinary rugose epidermis, furrowed by folds and small fissures that resemble reptile skin. The body is depressed-globose, olive green, brownish-gray, or bronze in color, and remains partially sunken in the substrate, attached to a characteristic napiform or tuberous root. It can reach about 6–7 cm in diameter in cultivation. It features 10–14 low ribs, divided into small tubercles often arranged in a spiral. The areoles are small, sunken, and woolly. The spination is very reduced: radial spines are sparse, short, and thin, initially brown or black and later grayish, while central spines are usually absent or minute.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Copiapoa hypogaea is endemic to the coastal desert of northern Chile, in the vicinity of Chañaral. The rugose-epidermis form that gave rise to ‘Lizard Skin’ is found especially north of the town, while to the south, smooth-epidermis populations traditionally related to C. hypogaea var. barquitensis appear. It inhabits extremely arid slopes subjected to the influence of the camanchaca (coastal fog). It belongs to the Cactaceae family, Copiapoa genus. The specific name follows the taxonomy of Joël Lodé, Taxonomy of the Cactaceae, volumes III–VI, 2026; ‘Lizard Skin’ is a cultivated selection and not an independent botanical taxon.
❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 10a–11b
It tolerates minimum temperatures close to 0 ºC (32 ºF) provided it remains completely dry. It comes from a coastal desert with relatively moderate temperatures, so it must be protected from frost and, especially, from the combination of cold and humidity.
☀️ Lighting
It requires very intense light, preferably full sun, with progressive adaptation. High light intensity favors body compactness and can accentuate the bronze hue of the epidermis. As a guideline during active growth, a DLI PAR of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ is recommended.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter rest. During the active period, moderate and widely spaced watering is recommended, allowing the substrate to dry completely before watering again. In autumn, water intake is progressively reduced until it is kept dry throughout the winter. Its tuberous root and adaptation to extreme aridity make it especially important to avoid excess moisture.
🌸 Flowering
It produces small, fragrant, yellow diurnal flowers, with the tips of the petals slightly pink, approximately 2 cm long and 3–4 cm in diameter. They appear near the apex during warm periods. The fruits are small, globose, and whitish.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with a high content of assimilable calcium and low nitrogen levels, such as Desert CHOICE® Cacti, 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 high-tech square pot, with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
7x7 cm black gourmet pot
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