Coryphantha elephantidens | Elephant tooth cactus
€15,90
🌱 Morphology
With pink flowers... Globose or depressed cactus, generally solitary, although it may form groups with age. The bright green body reaches approximately 14–19 cm in diameter and features large, conical, rounded, very deep, and grooved tubercles, up to about 5 cm wide at the base. The axils are densely covered with white wool. The areoles, initially woolly, develop 5–8 robust, curved radial spines attached to the body, yellowish at the base and brown to blackish towards the tip. It usually lacks central spines. The apex remains densely woolly.
🌍 Distribution, habitat and family
Endemic to Mexico, with a wide distribution throughout the central and southern regions of the country, where it grows in dry scrublands and seasonally dry tropical deciduous forests, at altitudes of approximately 1100 to 2000 m. It belongs to the Cactaceae family, Cactoideae subfamily, Cacteae tribe. The main nomenclature follows Joël Lodé, Taxonomy of the Cactaceae (2026), volumes III–VI.
❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 9b
Tolerates minimum temperatures of up to −3 ºC in dry and well-acclimatized specimens. In winter, it must be kept completely dry, especially when temperatures approach 0 ºC.
☀️ Lighting
It requires very intense lighting and several hours of direct sunlight to maintain compact growth and promote flowering. As a guideline during active growth, a DLI PAR of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ is recommended.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter dormancy. During spring and summer, growth is active, and abundant watering is recommended, allowing the substrate to dry out completely before the next watering. In autumn, watering is gradually spaced out to keep it dry during the winter. Excess moisture at low temperatures must be avoided.
🌸 Flowering
The large and very striking flowers appear in the apical area in late summer and throughout autumn. They can reach 6–11 cm in diameter and display pink, purple-pink, or white tones, generally with a reddish central area; yellow forms also exist. The species depends mainly on cross-pollination, and its flowers are visited by various native bees.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with a high content 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 cultivated in Madrid in a technological square pot with a substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
Black gourmet pot S -> 9cm x 9cm
* As this is an online purchase, the appearance of the sent specimen may vary slightly from the product image. The photo description specifies the plant's measurements, but these may also vary slightly because it is a living being! Each of the plants at Desert CITY has unique characteristics.
- Shipped today? Order within:
- Hassle-free returns
- Free Shipping on orders over €79.99
Expert advice with every purchase
Our team provides you with personalized advice on caring for your plants and growing media.
-
Secure and protected payment guaranteed.
