Cephalocereus tetetzo

A giant, branching columnar cactus (long known as Neobuxbaumia tetetzo) that forms dense 'forests' in Mexico's Tehuacán-Cuicatlán valley, reaching well over 10 m. In cultivation it is a slow, ribbed column that wants full sun, summer water and a dry, mild winter.

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

Dominates semi-arid scrub on limestone and alluvial slopes; seedlings establish in the shade of nurse shrubs and later grow into full sun.

Recorded from about 60 to 2,260 m, median about 1,100 m.

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.