This species follows a summer-rainfall growth cycle. It wakes up in late spring as temperatures rise, producing its small, yellowish-green cyathia and new vegetative growth throughout the summer months. It is particularly adapted to the high-heat, high-light environment of the Limpopo highlands. During the dry winter months, it enters a deep dormancy. To survive the drought, the above-ground stems may shrivel or die back slightly as the plant retreats into its massive, protective caudex. In cultivation, it is extremely sensitive to moisture during the winter rest; the substrate must be kept bone-dry when temperatures drop to prevent the tuberous root from liquefying. It thrives in a very gritty, mineral-heavy mix—similar to the 80% pumice ratio used for high-end cacti—to ensure the caudex never sits in damp organic matter.