Mammillaria petrophila

A globular cactus from the Cape region of Baja California Sur. The typical form grows on granite in the Sierra de la Laguna and nearby mountains, and lower-elevation populations are usually treated as subsp. baxteriana. It wants strong sun, a very mineral mix, late-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 on rock (lithophyte)

Where it grows wild

It grows on granite rocks and in crevices, from coastal desert scrub near sea level up into the dry oak woodland of the Cape mountains, usually in full sun or slight shade from rocks.

Recorded at 4-1,750 m (median 293 m). The mountain records are the typical form; lowland records near La Paz are likely subsp. baxteriana.

Baja California SurMexico

🔒 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 3.0 licence, unmodified.