€68,90

🌱 Morphology

A generally solitary cactus, although it may occasionally produce basal shoots. The stem is globose and can become short-cylindrical with age, with a glaucous green color. It can reach about 1 m in height and between 30 and 50 cm in diameter. It has approximately 13–25 relatively wide ribs, with elongated, woolly areoles. The spines are gray or yellowish, with a central spine that can reach 7.5 cm and 3 to 8 radial spines up to 4.5 cm.

It is a relatively sparsely spined species for a Ferocactus, so the globose body is quite visible. With age, the ribs become wider and more rounded.

🌍 Habitat and geographical distribution

Endemic species of northwestern Mexico. It is distributed throughout Sonora, Sinaloa, and Chihuahua, approximately between 240 and 1,000 m altitude. It grows in dry scrubland, thorny bush, and tropical deciduous forest areas, also reaching oak and pine forest areas. It can be found on rocky soils, hillsides, slopes, and crevices between rocks.

It belongs to the family Cactaceae. It is currently considered an accepted species by Kew and is listed as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List.

❄️ USDA zone and minimum cultivation temperatures

It can be approximately situated in USDA 9b–11, taking as a reference cultivation data that places the species around −4 °C as the limit of zone 9b.

In cultivation, it is recommended to keep it completely dry during winter. Some botanical collections cultivate it outdoors without winter protection, which demonstrates considerable cold resistance when the plant is dry.

For Madrid, however, it is advisable to avoid low temperatures coinciding with humidity in the substrate. As a conservative cultivation reference, it can be kept dry at around 6–10 °C during dormancy.

☀️ Lighting

It needs full sun to maintain compact growth, a well-developed glaucous epidermis, and correct spination. In protected cultivation, progressive adaptation should be carried out before exposing it to intense direct sun. As a practical goal for an adult plant in active growth, approximately 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ of DLI PAR is recommended.

💧 Growth cycle and watering

It is a species of mainly summer growth and winter dormancy. During spring and summer, when temperatures are suitable, it is recommended to water abundantly and let the substrate dry completely before watering again. The species responds well to sufficient water availability during its active phase.

In late autumn, watering should be gradually spaced out until suspended during winter. The substrate must remain completely dry during dormancy.

🌸 Flowering

It produces yellow, bell-shaped flowers, about 3.5 cm in diameter, which appear forming a crown around the apex. In the center, reddish filaments may stand out, especially visible in flowering specimens.

It is a summer-flowering species. In cultivation, Ferocactus pottsii usually flowers during July and August; in Madrid, this would also be the most probable period, although it may vary depending on spring temperatures and the development of the specimen. The flowers do not usually open all simultaneously, but progressively over several weeks.

🌿 Nutrition

During active growth, Desert CHOICE® Cacti NPK (Ca-Mg) 4-4-7 (4-4) is recommended. Its assimilable calcium content promotes the formation of firm tissues and the maintenance of turgor, while magnesium participates in chlorophyll formation.

This is an inimitable xerophytic cultivated in Madrid in a technological square pot and with the specific Desert SOIL substrate.

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