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Pediocactus sileri
Also called Gypsum Cactus, Gypsum Plains Cactus
Siler's pincushion cactus is a rare, small, egg-shaped desert cactus native to southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, found only on gypsum-rich soils. It is federally listed as threatened and is not a common garden plant, so it should be grown only from ethically sourced nursery stock.
Pediocactus sileri is a rare species of cactus known by the common names Siler's pincushion cactus and gypsum cactus (or gypsum plains cactus). It is native to southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona in the United States. It is limited to a specific type of soil, individuals are often spaced far apart, and the species is threatened by a number of human activities such as off-road vehicle use, poaching, and uranium mining. This is a federally listed threatened species of the United States.
The cactus grows on sand and clay substrate that is part of the Moenkopi Formation, a geologic formation, especially the Schnabkaib Member of the formation. The soils are rich in gypsum and salts. Habitat in the area includes desert scrub, woodlands, and grasslands. Most of the land is under the stewardship of the Bureau of Land Management. The plant's distribution covers parts of Coconino and Mohave Counties in Arizona and Washington and Kane Counties in Utah. Though the current total population of the cactus is unknown and has not been estimated, there have been over 10,000 individuals documented over a territory measuring just over 34,000 acres (140 km2).
Pediocactus bradyi subsp. despainii · Marble Canyon cactus · Knowlton's miniature cactus · Simpson's Hedgehog Cactus · Kaibab pincushion cactus · Navajo pincushion cactus · Mountain ball cactus · Pediocactus bradyi subsp. winkleri · Pincushion cactus
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Pediocactus sileri 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.
