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Species library › Thelocactus › Thelocactus macdowellii
Succulents Little published: much of this is inferred from related species

Thelocactus macdowellii

A small, densely white-spined Thelocactus from northeastern Mexico with magenta flowers. Very few wild records exist, so these conditions lean on the measured sites and the genus: full light, a mineral mix and a dry winter.

Thelocactus macdowellii
Photo: Michael Wolf, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
At home, aim for
Day Cool-growingTargets in Plantistry
Night A clear drop at nightTargets 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

Rocky limestone slopes in Chihuahuan desert scrub, as is typical for the genus; few details are published for this species.

The few measured records lie at about 1,400-1,500 m.

CoahuilaNuevo León

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

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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 2.5 licence, unmodified.