Synonyms:

Cactus compactus
Mammillaria compacta
Coryphantha recurvata subsp. canatlanensis

Habitat:

Coryphantha compacta is native to Mexico Northeast and Mexico Northwest where the plant can be found up to 2400 m of altitude. The plant can adapt to different habitat like grasslands in sandy plains, volcanic soils in dry hills and pine forests in mountains.

Description:

Coryphantha compacta is a small globular plant belonging to the Cactaceae botanical family. The dark green globular stem is flat at the top and is made of tubercles. This cactus small in size can reach just 10 cm in diameter and 15 cm in height. It usually grows solitary but sometimes it can grow in cluster. The tubercles are 1 cm long and arranged in a spiral pathway; this particular feature gives an odd bumpy appearance to the plant making it attractive and eye-catching. Each tubercle bears a cluster of spines. The central spines are longer, brown, erect and pointed. The central spines are surrounded by 10-15 thin lateral spines radiating outwards. The spines vary in color from pale yellow to light brown, darkening to grey as they age. During the summer an astonishing blooming can occurs on the apex of the plant. The showy, funnel-shaped, flowers appear when the days warm up giving impressive colors to your garden. The flowers are creamy yellow with a slight pink hue at the tips of the petal; they emerge on the dark green stem exhibit beautiful contrast colors. After flowering, the plant produces small, fleshy, green to reddish fruits that contain numerous seeds, aiding its reproduction.

Cultivation:

This is a slow growing plant, easy to cultivate. The plant needs a full sunlight exposure to promote flowering but if you see scorches place it in partial shade position, especially during the hottest periods. The plant does not like temperatures below 5°C so it needs to be placed indoors in the coldest periods. The soil should be mixed with pumice, clay and loam to allow for drainage and prevent root rot, as the plant is prone to it. Remember to use a perforated pot to drain excess water. Watering can be done regularly in spring and summer: during the vegetative period you can water the plant every 10 days, checking that the soil is completely dry before watering again. In winter you should stop the watering to allow the plant to enter dormancy. If you want a faster and lusher growth, you can fertilize the plant once a month during the growing season with specific fertilizers for succulents; stop fertilizing throughout the winter. If the pot becomes too small for the plant, you can repot it in a pot that is 2 cm wider. Repotting should be done early in the growing season with fresh new compost. Be careful to red spiders and scale insect. For mealybugs, you can remove them with a paintbrush dipped in alcohol, or if large numbers are present, you may use an insecticide.

Propagation:

Propagation can be done by offsets or by seed. Occasionally, C. compacta may produce offsets (pups) at its base. These can be carefully removed and replanted in a separate pot. Allow the offset to dry and callus for a few days before placing it in well-draining soil. Water sparingly until the offset establishes roots. To increase the success of propagation, you can plant two or more offsets at the same time. For offsets, it is recommended to maintain temperatures around 20°C. Propagation by seed is a simple method to propagate the plant. Simply sow the seeds in sandy loam soil and keep them in an environment with a high level of humidity and at a temperature of 14°C.

Curiosity:

The genus name comes from Greek koryphé (peak) and Anthos (flower) and refers to the position of the astonishing blooming. This species is used by Tarahuma shamans as a kind of peyote.

Official Web Site:
www.giromagi.com

Italian Blog:
www.giromagicactus.com

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