How to Care for Tephrocactus Articulatus: Mastering Water, Sunlight & More

Tephrocactus Articulatus

Also known as

Pine Cone Cactus, Pine Cone Cactus, Paper Spine Cactus and Tephrocactus articulatis

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Tephrocactus articulatus

Genus

Tephrocactus

Family

Cactaceae

Order

Caryophyllales

How to care for Tephrocactus Articulatus

💦 Water

How often to water your Tephrocactus Articulatus

Tephrocactus Articulatus needs 0.5 cups of water every 12 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Water 0.5 cups every
12

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for Pine Cone Cactus in your home

Tephrocactus Articulatus love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Tephrocactus Articulatus does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Tephrocactus Articulatus in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Tephrocactus Articulatus

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Tephrocactus Articulatus: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Tephrocactus Articulatus after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Well, the Cactus Crew is officially in rehab... I definitely have my candidates for most and least likely to survive picked out... Lol Some of y'all might remember me posting about my #paperspinecactus suffering from rot. Well, I followed y'all's advice to the best of my ability with what I had on hand. (Some medical expenses came up so I wasn't able to buy *any* of the stuff y'all have told me to get recently... 😩) 🧚I decided to separate a couple of the pads to increase my chances of still having a cactus when this is all over. 🧚Then I put two in sterilized (dry) perlite with emotional support crystals at the bottom, and one is sitting on top of some river rocks/random rocks I found while living in Oklahoma (also with emotional support crystals ofc). 🧚I will occasionally be misting the ones in perlite (instead of watering them) cuz it seems perlite actually absorbs water and I'm nervous about that. The river rocks will have filtered water in them, kept well below the bottom of the cactus. 🧚 For now they're in a North facing window that gets pretty decent indirect sun all day and a tiny bit of direct sun in the mornings. I may move them to the plant room but haven't decided yet. Wish us luck! Bonus pic of River Song looking pretty covered in raindrops. (: #cactusclique #socalgreg #socalcacti #wickedvalkyrie #happyplants #notsohappyplants #plantsmakepeoplehappy #plantaddict

Thoughts/advice/opinions?? I noticed some yellowing/wrinkling around the base of one of my #paperspinecactus today... It's not squishy, per say, but it is a bit soft. What little roots it has look just fine, no signs of rot as far as I could see... There's also a wee white/yellow spot on the side of one of the pads... It's been in this pot since October and it pulled right out no problem, but it's little buddy is fully rooted into the pot... Any ideas what's wrong with my lil man? How can I help him? Should I pull them out of the 4" pot they're sharing and try putting them in their own 2" or 3" pots? Should I just leave them till spring and simply just not water them until it starts warming up in a couple months? Should I bring them in for the "winter" since they're so new/young? Help me save my #wishlistplant please! 🥺 (Never fear, my hands are fine, this boi is nice. It's his #angelwingcactus #opuntia neighbor that scares me... 👀🌵) #cactusclique #notsohappyplants #happyplants #plantsmakepeoplehappy #plantaddict #wickedvalkyrie #socalgreg #socalcacti

💡 FAQs

💦 Water Needs

Tephrocactus Articulatus thrives in dry soil and should be watered sparingly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Pine Cone Cactus Water Frequency →

Pine Cone Cactus Root Rot →

☀️ Sunlight Needs

Tephrocactus Articulatus requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Pine Cone Cactus Light Requirements →

Pine Cone Cactus Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Greg does not have confirmed data on this plant’s toxicity. If you, a family member, or a pet consumes plant material of unknown toxicity, it’s always best to consult a medical professional.

If you or someone else ingested this plant, call Poison Control at US (800) 222-1222. If a pet consumed this plant, contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA at US (888) 426-4435.

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.