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Species library › Melocactus › Melocactus intortus
Succulents Partly documented

Melocactus intortus

A Caribbean Turk's cap cactus that grows near the coast in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the Lesser Antilles. Once mature it forms a woolly cephalium on top. It needs strong sun, warmth all year and a fast-draining mineral mix, and it does not tolerate cold, wet roots.

Melocactus intortus
Photo: Alex Doyle, 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 Full sunDLI and PPFD in Plantistry
Expects a seasonal restGrows in the ground

Where it grows wild

Grows on dry, exposed coastal scrub, rocky slopes and limestone or volcanic outcrops close to the sea, in full sun with salt-laden trade winds.

Lowland and coastal. Records run from sea level to about 190 m, with a median near 30 m.

Puerto RicoU.S. Virgin IslandsBritish Virgin IslandsSaint Martin / Sint MaartenAnguillaAntigua and BarbudaSaint BarthélemyWindward IslandsBahamasTurks and Caicos Islands

🔒 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.