Species library › Melocactus › Melocactus lemarii
Succulents Partly documented

Melocactus lemarii

This name most likely refers to Melocactus lemairei, a Turk's cap cactus found only on Hispaniola. It grows in hot, dry lowland scrub, on rocky ground, sea cliffs and offshore islets. It needs strong sun, warmth all year and a fast-draining mineral mix, and it suffers in cold, wet conditions.

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

Dry tropical scrub and dry forest on rocky limestone soils, coastal cliffs and small islands, including the hot, arid basin around Lake Enriquillo.

A lowland plant, from below sea level in the Enriquillo basin up to low hills near the coast. No exact elevation range was found.

Dominican RepublicHaiti

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

Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app.