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Species library › Copiapoa › Copiapoa marginata
Succulents Well documented

Copiapoa marginata

A clump-forming cactus of the coastal Atacama Desert in northern Chile, from Antofagasta south to Chañaral. It lives almost without rain on moisture from the coastal fog (camanchaca), and in cultivation needs strong light, mild temperatures and very sparing water.

Copiapoa marginata
Photo: Carl Howard-Morton, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
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

Coastal hills and slopes of the Atacama fog desert, among rocks and gravel, in full sun with frequent sea fog.

Recorded sites lie at about 65–300 m, close to the coast.

ChileAtacamaAntofagasta

🔒 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 CC0 licence, unmodified.