Pediocactus paradinei

A tiny, soft-spined cactus from the Kaibab Plateau and House Rock Valley area of northern Arizona. It is extremely cold hardy but rots easily: it needs intense light, a cold dry winter, its moisture in spring, and a very mineral, fast-drying mix. Growers often graft it.

At home, aim for

Day Cool-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

Open pinyon–juniper woodland edges and sagebrush-grassland on limestone-derived gravelly soils, often among low shrubs.

Generally about 1,500–2,100 m; the one usable record is at about 2,070 m.

Arizona

🔒 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 3.0 licence, unmodified.