Pelecyphora aselliformis

A tiny, slow, clustering cactus with comb-like spines like a woodlouse, known from a small area of San Luis Potosí on the Mexican high plateau. It grows in full sun on limestone at about 1,800–2,400 m, with cold dry winters and summer rain. It needs very careful watering and a thick taproot-friendly mineral mix.

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

Low hills and flats of the Chihuahuan Desert high plateau, on limestone rock and dark soils among low scrub. The bodies sit nearly flush with the ground in full sun.

Published range is about 1,800–2,400 m; records span 1,219–2,362 m with a median of 1,819 m.

Mexico NortheastSan Luis Potosí

🔒 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.