Cephalocereus mezcalaensis

A solitary columnar cactus of southern and western Mexico that eventually reaches 5 to 10 m, growing on limestone in tropical deciduous forest and dry scrub. In a collection it is a slow, upright column that needs strong sun, warm days and a dry, cooler winter.

At home, aim for

Day IntermediateTargets 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

Limestone slopes in tropical deciduous forest and xeric scrub, where the columns stand above the low, leafless-in-winter canopy in full sun.

Literature gives 400 to 2,000 m; the records span 17 to 2,594 m with a median near 1,420 m, mostly in the Puebla, Morelos and Guerrero basins.

Mexico CentralMexico Southwest

🔒 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. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its CC BY 4.0 licence, unmodified.