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Species library › Harrisia › Harrisia taetra
Succulents Partly documented

Harrisia taetra

A shrubby Cuban moonlight cactus 1–2.5 m tall, with 8–10-ribbed stems, dark spines that fade pale with age, and huge night-blooming flowers 16–20 cm long. It comes from the Guanahacabibes Peninsula in western Cuba. Grow it warm all year in strong light, with a free-draining mix and a drier winter.

Harrisia taetra
Photo: Craig Peter, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
At home, aim for
Day Warm-growingTargets in Plantistry
Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry
Humidity Dry airBand in Plantistry
Light Bright, filtered lightDLI and PPFD in Plantistry
Expects a seasonal restGrows in the ground

Where it grows wild

Dry coastal scrub and thicket on limestone near sea level, where stems lean on or scramble through shrubs. This is inferred from the location and the genus.

Near sea level, about 0–30 m.

Cuba (Pinar del Río: Guanahacabibes Peninsula)

🔒 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.