Pronounciation: Te-fro-CAC-tus ar-tic-u-LAY-tus i-NER-miss

Hardiness zones
Sunset 12-24
USDA 8 (with protection), 9-11

Landscape Use: Desert display gardens, novely or curiosity cactus, containers, textural accent, arid, dry landscape gardens.

Form & Character: Upright to sprawling with age, open, vulnerable, arid, informal, cylindrical.

Growth Habit: Succulent perennial, moderate growth to 1 foot tall (usually less) with a greater spread, branched. The forma 'inermis' is a nearly spineless and without (or with very few) glochids on the new growth. Any glochids that do grow are generally ephermal (temporary).

Foliage/Texture: Leafless, segmented stems, nearly spherical, oval to conical, glaucous grayish brown to earth tone with reddish tinges when environmentally stressed, pine-cone-like, globular to elongated, 1 to 4 inches long. Stem segments with tubercles, spirally placed, aeroles genearlly large, rounded with only occasional glochids; medium fine texture.

Flowers & Fruits: Flowers borne individually, white petals with yellow centers, bell-shaped, fading to pink with age; fruits globose, dry looking.

Seasonal Color: Flowers during the spring.

Temperature: Tolerant

Light: Full to partial sun

Soil: Tolerant of soil alkalinity.

Watering: Only very occasionaly.

Pruning: None, except root rot when overwatered.

Propagation: Asexually by stem cutting, easy.

Disease and Pests: None

Additional comments: Spruce cone cactus is an odd-looking, novelty or curiosity succulent for close observation. Its diminuative size means its best used in close proximity to the human eye.