Copiapoa cinerea

Native to a region that can go years without a single drop of rain, Copiapoa cinerea survives almost entirely on the dense camanchaca coastal fogs that roll off the cold Pacific Ocean. It absorbs condensation through its wooly crown and funnels it down its heavily ribbed stem to a vast, shallow root system. In cultivation, it demands an uncompromisingly lean, 90% to 100% mineral substrate (such as premium volcanic pumice and coarse granite) to prevent the roots from rotting. Watering must be done with extreme discipline only during warm, breezy shoulder seasons, enforcing a strict dry period during both the stagnant heat of mid-summer and the cold of winter.