Ariocarpus retusus

A slow, tuberous-rooted 'living rock' cactus of the Chihuahuan Desert, growing flush with the ground on limestone slopes and in grassland in northeastern Mexico. It is among the easiest Ariocarpus to cultivate. It wants strong sun, a very mineral mix, summer water and a dry, cool winter. It is listed in CITES Appendix I.

At home, aim for

Day Cool-growingTargets in Plantistry

Night A clear drop at nightTargets 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

Grows on limestone hills, rocky slopes and grassy flats in the Chihuahuan Desert, with the flat, warty body sitting at soil level, often among grasses and low shrubs.

Mostly 1300–2000 m (median of records 1640 m). Records below about 500 m are suspect.

CoahuilaNuevo LeónSan Luis PotosíTamaulipasZacatecasMexico Northeast

🔒 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

Grow Ariocarpus retusus? Add it to a free garden and its full profile opens. Pro opens all 38,374 profiles in the library, plants and fungi.

Start free Sign in

More Ariocarpus

Ariocarpus fissuratus Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus Ariocarpus bravoanus Ariocarpus trigonus Ariocarpus agavioides Ariocarpus drabi Ariocarpus scaphirostrus

Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, unmodified.