Anthracite grey is how you might describe this cactus, whose *incredibly dark—arguably the blackest among all cactus spines—curve and twist as a striking defense, while the body itself, coated in thick wax, glows in deep green to nearly-black shades of dark purple. It’s a fully black Copiapoa** that stands out as effortlessly cool and stylish. If you encounter one at an event, its presence will instantly catch your eye—yet, you rarely see them around, partly because it’s a relatively recent discovery, formally described only in 2011. It dwells in the central highlands of Chile, at about 900 meters elevation. With a cold tolerance down to 0°C, you’ll want to bring it indoors for winter safety. This species loves strong light but grows slowly. Solitary plants are said to reach 7–18cm across, while clustering ones can apparently hit 40cm—but who knows how long that takes! There’s a quirky nickname, “Kuriboshi-gyoku” (probably inspired by its scientific name, griseo…), but even the pros aren’t sure of its precise origins or pronunciation (ha!). Some experts also consider it to be the same species as C. echinoides or C. echinoides var.cuprea from a scientific standpoint.

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