Species library › Melocactus › Melocactus schatzlii
Succulents Well documented

Melocactus schatzlii

A small Melocactus of the dry inter-Andean valleys of Colombia and western Venezuela, especially the Chicamocha canyon area of Santander. It needs strong sun, warmth all year and a very fast-draining mineral mix; adults eventually form the woolly cephalium typical of the genus.

Melocactus schatzlii
Photo: Laurimar Sepulveda, 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 among rocks and on stony slopes in dry scrub of rain-shadow valleys, fully exposed to sun.

Recorded at 542–1,800 m, median about 860 m.

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

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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.