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Elephants Tooth

Scientific Name: Coryphantha elephantidens Lem.
Synonym: Cactus elephantidens, Cactus recurvispinus, Cactus sulcolanatus, Coryphantha bumamma, Coryphantha garessii, Coryphantha greenwoodii, Coryphantha recurvispina, Coryphantha sulcolanata, Echinocactus elephantidens, Echinocactus sulcolanatus, Mammillaria bumamma, Mammillaria elephantidens, Mammillaria recurvispina, Mammillaria retusa, Mammillaria sulcolanata
Family: Cactaceae

Frost Tolerance: Hardy to 26°F (-3°C), keep dry in winter.

Heat Tolerance: Light shade in summer in Phoenix

Sun Exposure: Full sun to light shade

Origin: Mexico (Michoacan)

Growth Habits: Clumping globular cactus, each head is up to 6 inches in diameter (15 cm); rounded tubercles up to 1.6 inches long (4 cm), 2.4 inches wide (6 cm); woolly axils; no central spines; 6-8 radials

Propagation: Offsets, seeds

Coryphantha bumamma at the Huntington Botanical Garden

The tubercles are usually arranged in 13 rows tipped with a few small radial spines. The light pink flowers produced in the fall are scented
The name of this Genus is derived from the Greek "koryphe" for summit and "anthos" for flower.
The second photo was labeled Coryphantha bumamma at the Huntington Garden, and the third photo Coryphantha garessii.

Coryphantha garessii at the Huntington Gardens in early July

Blooming Habits:
Sweet smelling large 2 to 3 inches pink flowers (6 to 7.5 cm) are produced in late summer.

List of All the Plants | More in the Cactaceae family

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