Copiapoa haseltoniana Backeb.

Publication: Descr. Cact. Nov. 33 (1957).

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.

Origin and Habitat

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.

Habitat: It grows in a scattered population in succulent vegetation such as Heliotropium, Pleocarpus and Opuntia. As is common in this coastal desert climate the early morning is foggy (the humidity of the sea furnish part of the water needed by this plants). By the middle of the morning however, the fog cover dissipate and sun breaking through the gaps warming the ground. The Brained Lizard (Liolaemus platei) is said to feed on floers of Copiapoa haseltoniana.

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.

Uses: It is an excellent plant for container growing. It always looks good and stays small. It look fine in a cold greenhouse and frame or outdoor in a rockery.

Pests & diseases: It may be attractive to a variety of insects, but plants in good condition should be nearly pest-free, particularly if they are grown in a mineral potting-mix, with good exposure and ventilation. Nonetheless, there are several pests to watch for:

- Red spiders: Red spiders may be effectively rubbed up by watering the infested plants from above.

- Mealy bugs: Mealy bugs occasionally develop aerial into the new growth among the wool with disfiguring results, but the worst types develop underground on the roots and are invisible except by their effects.

- Scales: Scales are rarely a problem. It is wise to treat your whole collection with a systemic insecticide twice a year in spring and autumn.

- Rot: Rot is only a minor problem with cacti if the plants are watered and “aired” correctly. If they are not, fungicides won’t help all that much. To prevent rottenness it is also advisable to surround its root neck by very rough sand or grit, this help a fast water drainage.

Propagation: Seeds (or offsets if available), Grafting is often used to speed growth rate and to create a back-up to plants in collection. Seeds germinate in 7-14 days at 21-27° C in spring, remove gradually the glass cover as soon the plants will be well rooted (ca 1-2 weeks) and keep ventilated, no full sun for young plants!

Bibliography

Major references and further lectures

1. Graham Charles “Copiapoa” Cirio Pub. Services, 1999

2. Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001

3. Riha & Subik. “The illustrated encyclopedia of cacti and other succulents” (edited by G. & K.A. Beckett) 1981

4. James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey “The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass” Cambridge University Press, 11/ago/2011

5. Clive Innes “Complete Handbook of Cacti and Succulents” Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 01/Dec/1981

6. David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. “The New Cactus Lexicon” dh books, 2006

7. N. L. Britton, J. N. Rose “The Cactaceae. Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family.” Volume 4, The Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington 1923

8. F.Ritter “Kakteen Südamerika” 3: 1072 1980

9. Sharon Chester “A Wildlife Guide to Chile: Continental Chile, Chilean Antarctica, Easter Island, Juan Fernandez Archipelago” Princeton University Press, 19/Apr/2010

From llifle page Copiapoa cinerea subs. eremophila

Description

Copiapoa eremophila is one of the controversial geographical forms of the very variable Copiapoa haseltoniana similar (if not the same) as Copiapoa gigantea. It is a densely spined form with very distinctive yellow-brown spines, later almost black found only on the high altitude range of the species. However apart for the spines it look very similar to other varieties of Copiapoa haseltoniana which are linked one to each others by populations of plants with intermediate characteristics. Nowadays all them are thought to belong to a unique polymorphic species. Such variations has led to establishment of several unnecessary names for this species.

Habit: It is a large sized often elongated and columnar plant slowly branching from the base, forming large, open clumps with (usually) few individual stems.

Stem: Globose to cylindrical, up to 1 m high, 20-30 cm across, pale olive-green, grey-green or ash-grey to silvery-blue when old, the apex is very spiny, covered with reddish, orangish or yellowish-brown wool. The whitish-grey coloration is a waxy coating presumably to prevent desiccation in it’s extremely dry environment. In cultivation the white waxy bloom is often not produced, revealing a brownish epidermis.

Ribs: 14-22(-37), rounded, broad, obtuse, wavy, almost straight, thickened at areoles (tuberculate), becoming flattened. The ribs in the younger specimen have very geometric and conspicuous tubercles, typically with a hexagonal base.

Areoles: Up to 18 mm in diameter, orangish, fading in grey as they become older.

Radial spines: Up to 7, about 1-2 (or more) cm long, hard, horny-yellow to brown coloured, later brown-black, terete, tipped darker, spreading, straight or slightly curved.

Central spine: 0-1(-2) similar in colouration.

Flowers: Yellow funnelform, 1,5 to 2,5 cm in diameter. The Ovary is naked; it needs a lot of sunlight to bloom, so it’s pretty rare to have blossoms when in cultivation in greenhouses.

Fruit: 1,5 to 2 cm long.

Seeds: Black and shining.

Origin and Habitat

Quebrada Paposo, Paposo, Antofagasta Region II, Chile

Altitude: 600 to1000 metres above sea level.

Habitat: It grows in a very dry area near the cost in the border of desert. Plants in nature are often covered dust. There were several lilies and other wild flowers that cheered up the otherwise grey hill side. At times this region is dominated by geophytes (like lilies and other wild flowers), which can cover expanses of the desert spectacularly cheering up the otherwise grey hill sides.

Cultivation and Propagation

Considering that Copiapoa eremophila 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.

Uses: It is an excellent plant for container growing. It always looks good and stays small. It look fine in a cold greenhouse and frame or outdoor in a rockery.

Pests & diseases: It may be attractive to a variety of insects, but plants in good condition should be nearly pest-free, particularly if they are grown in a mineral potting-mix, with good exposure and ventilation. Nonetheless, there are several pests to watch for:

- Red spiders: Red spiders may be effectively rubbed up by watering the infested plants from above.

- Mealy bugs: Mealy bugs occasionally develop aerial into the new growth among the wool with disfiguring results, but the worst types develop underground on the roots and are invisible except by their effects.

- Sciara Flies: Sciara flies are one of the major problems for seedlings. It is a good practice to mulch your seedlings with a layer of grit, which will strongly discourage the flies.

- Scales: Scales are rarely a problem. It is wise to treat your whole collection with a systemic insecticide twice a year in spring and autumn.

- Rot: Rot is only a minor problem with cacti if the plants are watered and “aired” correctly. If they are not, fungicides won’t help all that much. To prevent rottenness it is also advisable to surround its root neck by very rough sand or grit, this help a fast water drainage.

Propagation: Seeds (or offsets if available), Grafting is often used to speed growth rate and to create a back-up to plants in collection. Seeds germinate in 7-14 days at 21-27° C in spring, remove gradually the glass cover as soon the plants will be well rooted (ca 1-2 weeks) and keep ventilated, no full sun for young plants!

Bibliography

Major references and further lectures

1. Graham Charles “Copiapoa” Cirio Pub. Services, 1999

2. Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001

3. Riha & Subik. “The illustrated encyclopedia of cacti and other succulents” (edited by G. & K.A. Beckett) 1981

4. James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey “The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass” Cambridge University Press, 11/ago/2011

5. Clive Innes “Complete Handbook of Cacti and Succulents” Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 01/Dec/1981

6. David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. “The New Cactus Lexicon” dh books, 2006

7. N. L. Britton, J. N. Rose “The Cactaceae. Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family.” Volume 4, The Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington 1923

8. F.Ritter “Kakteen Südamerika” 3: 1072 1980

Source: Copiapoa cinerea subs. eremophila, LLIFLE - Encyclopedia of living forms, CC-BY-SA, retrieved 2026-10-25.

From llifle page Copiapoa cinerea subs. gigantea

Description

It is a large sized often elongated and columnar plant slowly branching from the base, forming large, open clumps with (usually) few individual stems. Copiapoa gigantea has the largest and stouter individual stems among the member of the Copiapoa cinerea complex.

Stem: Globose to cylindrical, up to 1 m (or more) high, 20-30 cm across, pale olive-green, grey-green or ash-grey, the apex is very spiny, covered with reddish, orangish or yellowish-brown wool. The whitish-grey coloration is a waxy coating presumably to prevent desiccation in it’s extremely dry environment. In cultivation the white waxy bloom is often not produced, revealing a brownish epidermis.

Ribs: 14-22(-37), rounded, broad, obtuse, wavy, almost straight, thickened at areoles (tuberculate), becoming flattened. The ribs in the younger specimen have very geometric and conspicuous tubercles, typically with a hexagonal base.

Areoles: Up to 18 mm in diameter, orangish, fading in grey as they become older.

Radial spines: Up to 7, about 1-2 (or more) cm long horny-yellow to orange coloured, terete, tipped darker, spreading, straight or slightly curved.

Central spine: 0-1(-2)

Flowers: Yellow funnelform, 1,5 to 2,5 cm in diameter. The Ovary is naked; it needs a lot of sunlight to bloom, so it’s pretty rare to have blossoms when in cultivation in greenhouses.

Fruit: 1,5 to 2 cm long.

Seeds: Black and shining.

Origin and Habitat

Endemic to the Atacama desert (Chile, Antofagasta) Tipically found 2 km from Paposo, Pampa, Antofagasta ( but some authors indicate a wider area ranging from north of Taltal up to 25-30 km north of Paposo)

Habitat: It grows among rocks and gravel in a scattered population at low altitude (between 100 and 1300 m over sea level) in areas where very little else grows. As it is common in this coastal desert climate the rain-falls are extremely scarce, often it doesn’t rain at all for many years. It’s a very drought tolerant species. But the extreme aridity is attenuated by the frequent, often dense, early morning costal fog (the humidity of the ocean furnish part of the water needed by this plants). By the middle of the morning however, the fog cover dissipate and sun breaking through the gaps warming the ground. The nocturnal condensation is also an important and conspicuous source of humidity, that (especially in winter) may wet the ground down to 2 cm in depth. The root system of the copiapoas is sallow and allows them to uptake the maximum of this humidity.

Cultivation and Propagation

This extremely slow growing cactus is kept for the beauty of its form. It must be protected from excessive heat and sun in summer, and seems to do best in cultivation with a bit of shade. It requires light but regular waterings in summer, but let the soil mix dry between waterings, Prone to rot if over-watered. Needs good drainage. Keep warm and dry in winter (10°C) to avoid rot. Not highly tolerant of a great deal of frost. (Frost tolerance 0°C)

Propagation: Seeds (or offsets if available), Grafting is often used to speed growth rate and to create a back-up to plants in collection.

Notes

Copiapoa gigantea is a controversial taxon related to Copiapoa cinerea, but with thicker stem diameter and with thinner, needle-like spines and often indicated as a synonym of Copiapoa cinerea var. haseltoniana. Nevertheless C. gigantea may be distinguished from Copiapoa haseltoniana by the shorter more numerous ‘orange’ coloured spines and less wool (But the habitat areas of these two species overlap and some authors believe that they are the same, hence synonyms). This plant is indeed quite variable even in the same population, as is demonstrated by the number of synonyms. The several classifications and reclassifications provide evidence of the confusion that rules regarding the names used in this variable species. It seems that many of botanists and hobbyists who have studied Copiapoa in habitat have formed their own concepts of what names should be applied to which plants. It is relatively easy to attribute some key features that dominate in certain populations, but it is equally possible to look more closely at plants in these populations, to find individuals that ‘break the rules’ and would easily fit another population’s dominant characteristics.

Bibliography

Major references and further lectures

1. Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001

2. James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey “The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass” Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug/2011

3. David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. “The New Cactus Lexicon” dh books, 2006

4. Nathaniel Lord Britton, Joseph Nelson Rose “Cactaceae: Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family” Courier Dover Publications, 1923.

Source: Copiapoa cinerea subs. gigantea, LLIFLE - Encyclopedia of living forms, CC-BY-SA, retrieved 2026-10-25.

From llifle page Copiapoa cinerea var. tenebrosa

Description

The Ritter’s name Copiapoa tenebrosa can be referred to forms within the variability of Copiapoa haseltoniana. It can be found in the mountains to the east of Taltal in two adjacent areal: Perales mountains (along populations of Copiapoa cinerea var. cinerea) and in Quebrada San Ramon (along with Copiapoa krainziana, Copiapoa cinerea and Copiapoa cinerea var. albispina ). It shows the characters of haseltoniana, but it is probably an hybrid with thinner and lesser evident spines and green to grey epidermis. The form of Q. San Ramon is particularly beautiful with orange wool with yellowish-white spines.

Both Copiapoa cinerea and Copiapoa tenebrosa in these areas shows great variation and it is sometimes difficult to separate one species from another.

Habit: The plants commonly forming large clumps, branching both basally and laterally, grows slowly up to 70 cm high and 1-3 m in diameter.

Stem: Grey to green 8-20 cm in diameter with woolly ocher-coloured apexes.

Ribs: 13-26, obtuse, 12-15 mm tall.

Areoles: 6-10 mm in diameter, 3-6 mm apart.

Radial spines: 4-6, 5-40 mm long yellowish-white, to honey yellow, glassy, often taking a tan colouring.

Central spines: Subulate, 1(3) 1-4 cm long.

Flowers: 30-45 mm long yellow.

Origin and Habitat

Taltal Chile, Antofagasta, Taltal ad orientem versus, ( Perales mountains and Quebrada San Ramon)

Cultivation and Propagation

Considering that Copiapoa tenebrosa 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.

Uses: It is an excellent plant for container growing. It always looks good and stays small. It look fine in a cold greenhouse and frame or outdoor in a rockery.

Pests & diseases: It may be attractive to a variety of insects, but plants in good condition should be nearly pest-free, particularly if they are grown in a mineral potting-mix, with good exposure and ventilation. Nonetheless, there are several pests to watch for:

- Red spiders: Red spiders may be effectively rubbed up by watering the infested plants from above.

- Mealy bugs: Mealy bugs occasionally develop aerial into the new growth among the wool with disfiguring results, but the worst types develop underground on the roots and are invisible except by their effects.

- Scales: Scales are rarely a problem. It is wise to treat your whole collection with a systemic insecticide twice a year in spring and autumn.

- Rot: Rot is only a minor problem with cacti if the plants are watered and “aired” correctly. If they are not, fungicides won’t help all that much. To prevent rottenness it is also advisable to surround its root neck by very rough sand or grit, this help a fast water drainage.

Propagation: Seeds (or offsets if available), Grafting is often used to speed growth rate and to create a back-up to plants in collection. Seeds germinate in 7-14 days at 21-27° C in spring, remove gradually the glass cover as soon the plants will be well rooted (ca 1-2 weeks) and keep ventilated, no full sun for young plants!

Bibliography

Major references and further lectures

1. Graham Charles “Copiapoa” Cirio Pub. Services, 1999

2. Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001

3. Riha & Subik. “The illustrated encyclopedia of cacti and other succulents” (edited by G. & K.A. Beckett) 1981

4. James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey “The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass” Cambridge University Press, 11/ago/2011

5. Clive Innes “Complete Handbook of Cacti and Succulents” Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 01/Dec/1981

6. David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. “The New Cactus Lexicon” dh books, 2006

7. N. L. Britton, J. N. Rose “The Cactaceae. Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family.” Volume 4, The Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington 1923

8. Friedrich Ritter - Kakteen in Südamerika (Ergebnisse meiner 20jährigen Feldforschungen) 1980

Source: Copiapoa cinerea var. tenebrosa, LLIFLE - Encyclopedia of living forms, CC-BY-SA, retrieved 2026-10-25.

From llifle page Copiapoa gigantea f. albispina

Description

This white spined clone is quite unusual and rarely seen in cultivation. It is a solitary, or slowly offsetting, globular to columnar cactus.

Stems: Up to 1.2 m tall, 10-20 cm in diameter. The epidermis of the white spined form has a sensitive epidermis, that is almost always marked with fungal-like (but innoquous) spots and cracks.

Ribs: 12-30 broad, obtuse;

Central spines: 1 or 2 up to long, terete, glassy white;

Radial spines: 5- 7

Flowers: Yellow funnelform, 1.5 to 2.5 cm in diameter, occasionally with a pink or reddish tint. The Ovary is naked; it needs a lot of sunlight to bloom, so it’s pretty rare to have blossoms when in cultivation in greenhouses.

Fruits: 1.5 to 2 cm. long;

Seeds: Black and shining.

Origin and Habitat

This is a cultivated clone, found in cactus collections.

Cultivation and Propagation

This extremely slow growing cactus is kept for the beauty of its form. It must be protected from excessive heat and sun in summer, and seems to do best in cultivation with a bit of shade. It requires light but regular waterings in summer, but let the soil mix dry between waterings, Prone to rot if over-watered. Needs good drainage. Keep warm and dry in winter (10°C) to avoid rot. Not highly tolerant of a great deal of frost. (Frost tolerance 0°C)

Propagation: Grafting or by cuttings from adult plants.

Notes

This plant is often found in cultivation labelled as: Copiapoa cinerea var. albispina, but it may be more properly referred to Copiapoa gigantea to which it shares many characteristic.

Source: Copiapoa gigantea f. albispina, LLIFLE - Encyclopedia of living forms, CC-BY-SA, retrieved 2026-10-25.

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