Xerophyte

Central Spines

In some plants one central spine appears, but is usually absent. It is erect, 1,5-2 cm long.

Cephalium

Cream-white.

Flowers

Nocturnal lasting only a single night, and rapidly collapsing into mush the next morning, extremely fragrant, slender funnelform, white arising from the cephalium. The position of the stigma is half-way up the stamens.

Blooming Season

Summer, it needs a good exposure to with some sun to bloom, so it's pretty rare to have blossoms when in cultivation in greenhouses. It is not unusual for this Melocactus to take 7 or more years before it starts blooming, but once it does, it should every year. Grafted plants may flower in 3 years.

Ribs

About 13. Number of areoles per rib is around 10 on plants with cephalium.

Stem

Flattened-globular, less than 8 cm tall and about 12 cm in diameter dark green green, with woolly cephalium.

Radial Spines

5 to 8 of which the 2(-4) upper ones shorter pointing upwards about 5 mm long. The length of the spines on the sides and downwards is about 1.5 cm. Mostly amber like, but variable in colouration.

Fruits

Club shaped white.

Areoles

Round.