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Species library › Melocactus › Melocactus andinus
Succulents Partly documented

Melocactus andinus

An unusual high-altitude Melocactus from dry inter-Andean valleys of Colombia and Venezuela, recorded here at 2100-2650 m in Boyacá.

Melocactus andinus
Photo: Sofía García, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
At home, aim for
Day IntermediateTargets in Plantistry
Night A clear drop at nightTargets 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

Grows among rocks on dry, eroded slopes in a semi-desert enclave of the eastern Andes, with sparse shrubs and grasses.

Recorded 2119-2651 m, median 2180 m; very high for the genus.

ColombiaVenezuela

🔒 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

Grow Melocactus andinus? Add it to a free garden and its full profile opens. Pro opens all 38,374 profiles in the library, plants and fungi.

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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.