Pronounciation: Te-fro-CAC-tus ar-tic-u-LAY-tus pa-pie-ra-CAN-thus

Hardiness zones
Sunset 12-24
USDA 8 (with protection), 9-11

Landscape Use: Desert display gardens, novely or curiosity cactus, textural accent, arid, dry landscape gardens, large clay containers.

Form & Character: Prostrate and sprawling, dense, dangerous, arid, informal puritan white.

Growth Habit: Succulent perennial, moderate growth to 1-foot tall (usually less) with a greater spread, well branched and segmented, segments easily detach.

Foliage/Texture: Leafless, segmented stems containing tubercles with broad, raffia like, conspicuous, flattened whitish or earth-tone spines that are actually not spines, but rather thin ribbon-like processes that curl with age; medium texture.

Flowers & Fruits: Flowers borne individually, white petals with yellow centers, bell-shaped; fruits globose, dry looking.

Seasonal Color: Flowers during the spring.

Temperature: Tolerant

Light: Full to partial sun.

Soil: Tolerant of soil alkalinity.

Watering: Only very occasionaly.

Pruning: None, except root rot when overwatered.

Propagation: Seed, but asexually by stem cutting is very easy.

Disease and Pests: None

Additional comments: Paper spine cactus is a very odd-looking, novelty or curiosity succulent for close, careful (Danger!! Danger!!) observation. It is not commonly seen in Phoenix landscapes, but its diminuative size means its best used in close proximity to the human eye.