Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Turks Cap Cactus
Turks Cap Cactus is a round, ribbed cactus that grows a woolly, bristly cap on top once it matures. Small pink to red flowers come out of the cap from spring into fall. Most stay between 4 inches and about a foot tall, so it fits a shallow patio pot. Give it bright light with some afternoon shade and a fast-draining cactus mix.
Best for: bright patio pots with some afternoon shade, small cactus bowls, and collectors of unusual cacti.
Once it matures, it grows a woolly, bristly cap on top. The cap keeps growing for many years, and in some kinds it ends up taller than the body.
Small pink to red flowers come out of the cap from spring into fall, followed by small fleshy fruit. Young plants need a few years to form a cap before they bloom.
It needs some direct sun, but it burns easily in Arizona sun. The dwarf kind stays about 4 inches across, and the blue kind reaches about 6 inches, so a wide, shallow pot suits it.
It does not take frost, and growers advise keeping it above about 50°F in winter. It burns in hard afternoon sun and rots in heavy, wet soil.
Water it regularly in summer, letting the mix dry partway between waterings. In winter, water less, but never let it dry out completely.
Give it some direct sun, but shade it from the hot afternoon sun, since it burns easily in Arizona sun.
Use a wide, shallow pot with a very fast-draining cactus mix. Its roots are shallow and spread out.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
What is the cap on top?
It is a dense cap of wool and bristles that grows once the plant is mature. Flowers and fruit form in the cap, and it keeps growing for years.
How big does it get?
The dwarf kind stays about 4 inches tall and wide. The blue kind usually reaches about 6 inches wide and 8 inches to a foot tall over time.
How fast does it grow?
It is a slow grower, and most plants take a few years to form their cap and start blooming.
When does it bloom?
Small pink to red flowers come out of the cap from spring into fall, with the most in summer. Small fleshy fruit follow the flowers.
Does it need full sun?
It needs some direct sun, but it burns easily in Arizona sun. Give it bright light with shade from the hot afternoon sun.
Can it handle a hot west wall?
No. It burns easily in hard Arizona sun, so keep it away from hot walls and pavement.
How often should I water it?
It needs more water than most desert cacti. Water it regularly in summer, letting the mix dry partway between waterings. In winter, water less, but do not let it dry out completely.
What pot and soil does it need?
Use a wide, shallow pot with a very fast-draining cactus mix. Its roots are shallow and spread out, and it rots if the mix stays soggy.
Can it stay outside through a Valley winter?
It does not take frost and handles 35°F only for a short time. Growers advise keeping it above about 50°F, so bring the pot indoors or under cover on cold nights.
Which size should I buy?
The 1 Gallon is a young plant for a small pot. The 5 Gallon is a larger, older plant. Use the size guide above the price to compare.
Turks Cap Cactus for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Turks Cap Cactus (Melocactus) is a small, round cactus known for the woolly cap it grows at maturity. This page covers its size, the cap and flowers, light, water, and pot care for a Valley patio.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
What is a Turks cap cactus?
It is a Melocactus, a round, ribbed cactus that grows a woolly, bristly cap when it matures. Flowers and fruit form in the cap, which keeps growing for years.
How big does a Turks cap cactus get?
The dwarf kind stays about 4 inches tall and wide. The blue kind reaches about 6 inches wide and 8 inches to a foot tall, with the cap adding height over time.
Turks cap cactus flowers
Small pink to red flowers come from the cap from spring into fall, with the most in summer, and small fleshy fruit follow.
Growing Turks cap cactus in Phoenix
Keep it in a pot in bright light, shaded from the hot afternoon sun. Use a wide, shallow pot and a very fast-draining cactus mix.
How often to water a Turks cap cactus
It needs more water than most desert cacti. Water regularly in summer, letting the mix dry partway, and water less in winter without letting it dry out.
Dwarf vs blue Turks cap cactus
The dwarf kind comes from Cuba, stays about 4 inches, and grows an orange red cap. The blue kind comes from Brazil, with a strong blue body and a mostly white cap.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.