Copiapoa haseltoniana

Copiapoa haseltonianaCopiapoa haseltoniana is Endemic to the Atacama desert (Chile, Antofagasta) on a few hundred metres wide coastal plain at 15 km NE, inlands above Paposo (from Taltal to Caleta Colorado), which lies between the sea and the steeply rising coastal mountain. Description: Usually forms massive clumps, up to 1. 5 m tall. Stems: Light green or reddish tinged with an amber yellow woolly crown, up to 25 cm in diameter, round branching laterally with 14 to 22

Copiapoa haseltoniana is Endemic to the Atacama desert (Chile, Antofagasta) on a few hundred metres wide coastal plain at 15 km NE, inlands above Paposo (from Taltal to Caleta Colorado), which lies between the sea and the steeply rising coastal mountain.

Description: Usually forms massive clumps, up to 1.5 m tall.
Stems: Light green or reddish tinged with an amber yellow woolly crown, up to 25 cm in diameter, round branching laterally with 14 to 22 ribs. The individual stems are generally oriented northwards.
Spines: Golden up to 3 cm long; 0 to 2 central spines; 0 to 8 radial spines.

Cultivation and Propagation: Considering that Copiapoa haseltoniana comes from a habitat with an extremely arid climate, they are remarkably tolerant of pot culture, but susceptible to overwatering. They requires also an appropriate air circulation. Copiapoas are summer grower species easy to cultivate.
Growth rate: This is a slow growing cactus kept for the beauty of its form that will make clumps given the best conditions.
Soils: It likes very coarse mineral cactus mix soil, but can become too elongated if compost is too rich.
Repotting: Use pot with good drainage.
Watering: It requires light but regular waterings in summer, but let the soil mix dry between waterings, but do not overwater (Rot prone), it must be strictly kept dry throughout the winter quiescent period since it is very sensitive to any moisture excesses keep dry in winter.
Fertilization: Feed with a high potassium fertilizer in summer.
Hardiness: Not highly tolerant of a great deal of frost.They need to be kept in a cool place during winter rest and are resistant to light frost if kept on the dry side prior to, and during, cold weather ( they are hardy to -2 C ° C short periods). However some warmth throughout the year will increase the grower's success (minimum 5° to 10°C during rest season).
Exposition: Requires full sun or light shade and careful watering to keep plant compact with strong coloured spines. Tends to bronze in strong light, which encourages flowering and heavy spine production. Light shadow my be useful in the hottest summer days.

Some of the information in this description has been found at desert-tropicals.com, llifle.com and cactus-art.biz