Coryphantha sulcata aka Pineapple Cactus

Coryphantha sulcata belongs to the cactus family, Cactaceae. Its common English names include pineapple cactus and nipple cactus. Finger cactus is another name. Kew calls it a succulent subshrub, a small shrub with fleshy parts. It grows wild from Texas into northeastern Mexico. Kew lists Coahuila, Tamaulipas, and Nuevo León in that range. It grows in deserts and dry shrubland. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

The Chicago Botanic Garden says it forms a mound. The supplied records for this species give no full-grown height or width. They give no detailed account of its stems, either. Notes on spine counts describe a named variety, not the species. The same holds for stem color and clump size. Those notes do not show the form of this species. The RHS lists Coryphantha calcarata as another scientific name for it. LLIFLE also links that older name to Coryphantha sulcata.

Chicago Botanic Garden lists flowers in pink and white. Its bloom calendar spans January through April in two periods. These run from January to February and March to April. The entry does not say how climate shifts bloom dates. It gives no flower size or scent. The supplied records for the species give no clear fruit details. Fruit and seed notes for the named variety cannot fill this gap.

Chicago Botanic Garden calls for full sun and dry soil. It places this cactus in USDA hardiness zones 7–8. These are the available guides for growing this species. They cover light, water needs, and how much cold it can take. The records give no soil mix or pH. They give no method to feed or raise new plants of this species. The more detailed care notes concern a named variety. They do not show how fast this species grows. Nor do they show how hard it is to grow.

Chicago Botanic Garden suggests this cactus for beds and borders. It also lists use as a specimen plant. Its entry says the plant resists deer. It names no other value for wildlife. The supplied species records name no pests or diseases. They give no evidence for edible parts or uses as medicine. They do not assess harm to people or pets. This lack of safety data does not mean it is safe to eat.