Melocactus ferreophilus

A rare Turk's-cap cactus from the interior of Bahia, Brazil; its name refers to the iron-rich rock it grows on. Like other Bahian Melocactus it wants full sun, warmth all year and must never be kept cold and wet.

At home, aim for

Day Warm-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 on rock (lithophyte)

Where it grows wild

Grows among rocks on iron-rich outcrops within caatinga and campo vegetation, in full exposure and shallow mineral soil. Details are based on the name and the genus.

The single record has no elevation; the surrounding terrain lies at roughly 800–1,000 m.

Brazil Northeast

🔒 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.