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Species library › Tephrocactus › Tephrocactus molinensis
Succulents Well documented

Tephrocactus molinensis

A tiny clustering cactus from the dry Calchaquí valleys of Salta, Argentina, with small rounded segments and a thick tuberous root. It wants full sun, a gritty mix and a dry, cool winter, and it rots easily if overwatered.

Tephrocactus molinensis
Photo: Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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

Grows in full sun on gravelly slopes and flats of the arid intermontane valleys, often half-buried among stones.

Roughly 1,500–2,500 m in the Calchaquí valleys around Molinos and Cachi.

Salta (Argentina)

🔒 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.