Synonyms:

Cactus elephantidens
Echinocactus elephantidens
Mammillaria elephantidens

Habitat:

Coryphantha elephantidens is native to Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast and Mexico Southwest. The cultivar Titan has garden origin. In its natural habitat the plant can be found up to 2000 m of altitude. It grows on rocky volcanic soils and can withstand long periods of drought and intense sunlight.

Description:

Coryphantha elephantidens cv. Titan is an uncommon cactus belonging to the Cactaceae botanical family. The plant has a big globular cactus that can reach up to 25 cm in diameter; it is the biggest cultivar among Coryphantha elephantidens. The stem is fleshy, greenish-gray to deep green and is arranged in tubercles. The tubercles are cone-shaped, roundish and bear the spines. The spines emerge from white fluffy areoles and are thick, slightly curved downward, 2-4 cm long and yellowish in color. This cultivar typically lacks the intense density of spines seen in other species, allowing the beautiful tubercular structure to be more prominent. The blooming occurs during the spring and the blossoms are borne at the apex of the tubercles. The flowers are 5 cm in diameter with an attractive lavender color and a yellow center. The beautiful colors make the plant an elegant decoration for your house.

Cultivation:

This is a slow growing plant, easy to cultivate. The plant needs a full sunlight exposure, if you grow it indoor place it where it will receive a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight daily. It is recommended to avoid direct sun-light for prolongated periods during the hottest season. The plant is used to handle with very harsh cold since in its natural habitat the temperatures can go down under 0 °C, anyway it should be protected from freezing. The soil should be mineral-rich, 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 summer, sparingly in autumn and spring and can be avoided during the winter to allow the plant to enter dormancy. When watering the plant, check that the soil is completely dry before watering again. 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 seed or by offsets but these are rare for the Titan cultivar, making seed propagation the primary method. 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. By cutting you can use the offsets during the spring. Cut an offset and then let it dry; after a few days the cut surface will dry and a callus will form, then place the cutting in a mixture of sand, soil and pumice. To increase the success of propagation you can cut two or more offsets at the same time. For cuttings it is recommended temperatures around 20 °C.

Curiosity:

Coryphantha stands out from other similar genres for the position of the flowers that grow exactly on the top of the plant. Its name has in fact this meaning: it comes from Greek koryphé (peak) and Anthos (flower). The “elephant” in its name reflects not only its impressive stature but also the wrinkled, elephant-skin-like appearance of its tubercles. Because it is a slow-growing cactus, patience is essential for those growing it from seed.

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