Ariocarpus fissuratus

Ariocarpus fissuratus, the living rock cactus, grows flush with the ground on limestone hills of the Chihuahuan Desert in Texas and northern Mexico. It needs full sun, a very mineral mix, summer watering and a cool, completely dry winter; it grows extremely slowly on its own roots.

At home, aim for

Day IntermediateTargets in Plantistry

Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry

Humidity Dry airBand in Plantistry

Light Full sunDLI and PPFD in Plantistry

Expects a seasonal restGrows in the ground

Where it grows wild

Dry limestone plains, ridges and low rocky hills covered in limestone chips, where its flat, grey, fissured body blends with the stones. A thick taproot stores water.

Wikipedia gives about 500 to 1,170 m; GBIF records span 485 to 1,884 m with a median of 1,302 m.

TexasCoahuilaChihuahuaDurangoNuevo LeónZacatecas

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates

✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it

✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light

✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it

✓ Substrate and airflow

✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app.