Coryphantha pallida aka Coryphantha Pallida

Coryphantha pallida also has the name pale coryphantha. It belongs to Cactaceae, the cactus family. It comes from Mexico and ranges from Veracruz to Oaxaca. Kew places it in deserts and dry shrubland. It is a succulent subshrub: a small plant that stores water. It stays green all year and grows in clumps. The RHS lists it for pots and patio displays. Its round stems and flowers are its main points of interest when grown.

The stems are almost round and have large raised bumps. These bumps, called tubercles, each end in several brownish spines. The RHS describes a height of about 0.4 feet (0.12 metres). Its broad size bands give a larger range. They allow 0.3–1.6 feet (0.1–0.5 metres) for both height and spread. This differs from the smaller size in its description. The RHS says plants take five to ten years to mature. The flowers are pale yellow with a red centre. Each is about 0.16 feet (0.05 metres) across. The supplied species account gives no facts about the fruit.

Grow this cactus under glass in a standard cactus compost. The RHS care text calls for bright light with some shade. Its list of sites also includes full sun. Use a mix that drains well and does not hold standing water. The RHS lists both sand and loam as suitable soils. The plant accepts acid, neutral, and alkaline soils. Give it a modest amount of water while it grows. Then keep it dry through winter. In spring, feed with a liquid fertiliser low in nitrogen. This care changes with the seasons, not a fixed year-round routine.

The RHS gives this species a UK hardiness rating of H2. It can cope with cool weather but cannot survive freezing. The rating covers minimum temperatures of 1–5°C. The advice to grow it under glass fits its need for frost cover. A pot lets growers give it the shelter the RHS calls for. You do not need to prune it. To grow new plants, sow seed in spring or early summer. The RHS advises 19–24°C for the seeds to sprout.

Mealybugs may attack this cactus, so check for these pests. The RHS reports few disease problems when growing conditions suit it. The supplied evidence does not show if any parts are safe to eat. It gives no assessment of this species for toxic effects. Nor does it assess its use as medicine.