Oroya peruviana | Cactus of the heights
€10,60
Oroya peruviana (K.Schum.) Britton & Rose
🌱 Morphology
Above the clouds... A globose, depressed cactus, generally solitary, which can reach about 15–20 cm in diameter and up to 20–30 cm in height, although in its habitat it usually remains partially buried. It has about 20–30 wide, obtuse, and gently tuberculate ribs, with elongated, narrow areoles. The spines, numerous and pectinate, are usually dark red, brown, amber, or almost black, with about 15–20 radials of up to 2 cm and, in some forms, more robust central spines. It is a highly variable species in terms of coloration and spination.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Endemic to the central Andes of Peru, especially in Junín, Huancavelica, Apurímac, Ayacucho, and areas near La Oroya, where it grows at an altitude of approximately 3,000 to 4,700 m. It lives in the puna, among rocks, crevices, and open grasslands, often accompanied by grasses and other high-mountain cacti. It belongs to the Cactaceae family. The taxonomy of Joël Lodé (2026) maintains Oroya peruviana as a species, including under this name numerous historical taxa such as O. neoperuviana, O. gibbosa, O. laxiareolata, and O. subocculta; it also recognizes O. peruviana subsp. depressa.
❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 8b
It tolerates minimum temperatures of up to −7 ºC when kept dry and with well-acclimatized specimens. Its high-Andean origin allows it to withstand nocturnal frosts, but in cultivation, it is especially important to keep the body completely dry during cold episodes.
☀️ Lighting
It needs plenty of light and direct sun to maintain its compact habit and develop intense spination. During active growth, it is recommended to reach a reference DLI PAR of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter dormancy. During the cold period, it should be kept practically dry. In spring and summer, perform deep, spaced waterings, allowing the substrate to dry out completely between them. Its adaptation to high-mountain environments means it tolerates dry periods well, but the roots are sensitive to persistent excess moisture, especially at low temperatures.
🌸 Flowering
The flowers appear in a crown around the top of the body and reach approximately 2.5 cm in length and 2.2 cm in diameter. They have outer tepals in shades of scarlet red, carmine, or pink, usually with a yellow base, creating a very striking contrast with the dark spines. Flowering usually occurs during late spring and summer.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with high content of assimilable calcium and low nitrogen levels is recommended, such as Desert CHOICE® Cactáceas, applied once a month when watering. Before flowering, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Floración.
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a technological square pot with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
📏 Gourmet xerophyte in a 9x9 cm pot.
* As this is an online purchase, the appearance of the shipped specimen may vary slightly from the product image. The measurements of the plant are specified in the photo description, but this may also vary slightly because, after all, it is a living being! Each of the plants at Desert CITY has unique characteristics.
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