Copiapoa atacamensis

A grey-green, heavily spined globular cactus of the Atacama coast in Antofagasta Province, Chile. It lives almost entirely on fog and has a long taproot. Give it strong light, very sparse water and cool, mild temperatures.

At home, aim for

Day Cool-growingTargets 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

It grows on rocky coastal hills and slopes in the fog belt of one of the driest deserts on Earth. Rain almost never falls, and moisture comes from coastal stratus cloud (camanchaca). It stands fully exposed.

The records sit near 600 m on the coastal escarpment.

ChileAntofagasta

🔒 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-SA 4.0 licence, unmodified.