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Epithelantha bokei
Also called Boke's Button Cactus
Epithelantha bokei is a small, globular cactus, usually 2 to 5 cm wide, mostly buried in its native soil and covered in pale, dense spines. Grow it as a bright, fast-draining, very dry-tolerant succulent, watering rarely.
Epithelantha bokei is a species of cactus known by the common names pingpong ball cactus and button-cactus.
The species' native range extends from Texas in the United States to northeastern Mexico, specifically within the states of Coahuila and Chihuahua in desert or dry scrubland environments at elevations between 700 and 1,500 meters above sea level. The species is a soil specialist, often forming dense clusters on specific calcareous substrates. It is commonly found on elevated limestone hills, mountain summits, and rocky ledges within xerophytic scrublands. Additionally, the species can occur on plains, where it grows on soils composed of gravel mixed with organic-rich earth resulting from leaf decomposition. These conditions provide localized nutrients and enable the species to thrive in extremely dry environments. Plants are found growing along with Coryphantha difficilis, Ariocarpus fissuratus, Echinocereus pectinatus, Sclerocactus scheeri, Mammillaria heyderi. Threats to the species include poaching and habitat degradation. It is in cultivation at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona.
Epithelantha cryptica · Epithelantha greggii · Epithelantha ilariae · Pingpong-ball cactus · Epithelantha pachyrhiza · Epithelantha polycephala · Epithelantha potosina · Epithelantha pulchra · Epithelantha spinosior · Pingpong-ball cactus
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Epithelantha bokei by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
