Origin and Habitat: North east of Vallenar, III region, Chile at about 86 km from the sea.
Altitude: 1200-1400 metres above sea level.
Habitat: It hangs on steep tall northwest-facing slopes in crevices on hard, grey-black, fractured igneous rocks along with other cacti such as Eulychnia acidaSN|7067]]SN|7067]], Miqueliopuntia miqueliiSN|4177]]SN|4177]], Cumulopuntia sphaericaSN|4198]]SN|4198]], and Eriosyce confinisSN|2566]]SN|2566]].

• Copiapoa coquimbana subs. andina I.Schaub & Keim

• Copiapoa coquimbana (Karw. ex Rümpler) Britton & Rose
• Echinocactus coquimbanus Karw. ex Rümpler
• Copiapoa coquimbana var. alticostata (F.Ritter) A.E.Hoffm.
• Copiapoa alticostata F.Ritter
• Copiapoa coquimbana var. armata F.Ritter
• Copiapoa coquimbana var. imbricata Kníže
• Copiapoa imbricata KK102 El Molle Kníže
• Copiapoa coquimbana var. pendulina (F.Ritter) A.E.Hoffm.
• Copiapoa coquimbana subs. pendulina (F.Ritter) Doweld
• Copiapoa pendulina F.Ritter
• Copiapoa coquimbana var. pseudocoquimbana (F.Ritter) A.E.Hoffm.
• Copiapoa coquimbana subs. pseudocoquimbana (F.Ritter) Doweld
• Copiapoa pseudocoquimbana F.Ritter
• Copiapoa coquimbana vallenarensis (F.Ritter) A.E.Hoffm.
• Copiapoa coquimbana subs. vallenarensis (F.Ritter) Doweld
• Copiapoa vallenarensis F.Ritter
• Copiapoa coquimbana var. wagenknechtii F.Ritter
• Copiapoa neocoquimbana var. wagenknechtii (F.Ritter) Y.Itô
• Copiapoa wagenknechtii F.Ritter ex Backeb.
• Copiapoa militaris Kníže
• Copiapoa neocoquimbana Y.Itô
• Copiapoa pepiniana (Lem. ex Salm-Dyck) Backeb.
• Cereus pepinianus Lem. ex Salm-Dyck
• Copiapoa pepiniana (K.Schum. non Lem.) Backeb. in Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
• Echinocactus pepinianus Cels ex Salm-Dyck
• Neoporteria pepiniana (Lem. ex Salm-Dyck) Borg
• Copiapoa pseudocoquimbana var. chaniarensis F.Ritter
• Copiapoa pseudocoquimbana var. domeykoensis F.Ritter
• Copiapoa domeykoensis Kníže
• Copiapoa pseudocoquimbana f. variegata hort.
• Copiapoa pseudocoquimbana var. vulgata F.Ritter
• Copiapoa serenana M.Voldan

Description: Copiapoa coquimbanaSN|1348]]SN|1348]] subsp. andina is one of the several local form of the very variable Copiapoa coquimbanaSN|1348]]SN|1348]] with outstanding golden-yellow spines. This peculiar colouring make this plant easy to spot on the grey-black rock where it grows. This golden appearance is not typical of any other Copiapoa.
Habit: It is a heavily spined cactus that branches from the base, forming large clumps or cushions composed of up to 50 heads. Plants are quite homogeneous in appearance.
Stem: Spherical, tight and slightly compressed, relatively soft, 9-15 cm in diameter and 8-30 cm tall, pale green with incomplete farinose coating, and crowned by a dense mass of long greyish-white wool, particularly at flowering time.
Ribs: There are 10 to 20 strongly tuberculate especially in young specimens
Tubercles: Rounded, slight depressed in correspondence to each areole.
Areoles: Apical, convex, almost round, covered with dense grey wool when young, later glabrous, about 5-6 mm in diameter.
Radial spines: 9, round in cross-section, chestnut-brown quickly ageing into pale grey and then yellowish brown, stout, 2-3 cm long, about 0,8 mm in diameter, fairly slender or slightly curved, following the shape of the body and forming a large angle to the central spine. Upper lateral spines thinner than the lower laterals.
Central spines: One thicker, upward curving, round in cross-section, 3,5-5 cm long and about 1,5 mm in diameter.
Roots: Napiform, stout, light brown, up to 30 cm long and 3-5 cm broad slightly restricted at neck.
Flowers: 1 to 4 at a time, diurnal closing at night, fragrant, protracting the period of opening many days, funnel-shaped, 38-42 mm long, and they grow from the centre of the grey wool at the apex. The perianth segments are 12-18 mm long and 6-8 mm wide, blunt and yellow with a outer reddish mid-stripe. Ovary cup-shaped, 6 mm in diameter. Pericarpel greenish, naked, shiny. Style
20 mm long, yellow. Stigma yellow, 9 to 14 lobes, 3 mm to 6 mm long. Stamens 8 mm to 12 mm long, yellow.
Blooming season: Spring ( October, November in habitat)
Fruit: Round to elongate, about 15 mm in diameter and up to 2,5 cm long, pale olive green to reddish-brown, flowers remnants persistent on the seedpod .
Seeds: 2 x 1,5 mm, black, shiny, surface with low and rounded bumps.

Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Ingrid Schaub & Ricardo Keim “andina & schulziana due nuove copiapoa - two new copiapoas” TAXA – cactus cileni Chilean cacti, Cactus & Co. – Editoriale - Cacti Guide 05/Nov/2008.
2) Schulz R. & Kapitany A., (1996). “Copiapoa in their Environment” Schulz Publishing.
3) Schulz R., (2006). “Copiapoa 2006,” Schulz Publishing.
4) Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
5) Friedrich Ritter - Kakteen in Südamerika (Ergebnisse meiner 20jährigen Feldforschungen) 1980
6) David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. "The New Cactus Lexicon" dh books, 2006

Cultivation and Propagation: Considering that Copiapoa coquimbanaSN|1348]]SN|1348]] subsp. andina comes from a habitat with an extremely arid climate, they are remarkably tolerant of pot culture. These plants have taproots and are susceptible to overwatering. They requires also an appropriate air circulation. Copiapoas are summer grower species easy to cultivate.
Growth rate: This is a slow growing cactus kept for the beauty of its form that will make clumps given the best conditions.
Soils: It likes very coarse mineral cactus mix soil, but can become too elongated if compost is too rich.
Repotting: Use pot with good drainage.
Watering: It requires light but regular waterings in summer, but let the soil mix dry between waterings, but do not overwater (Rot prone), it must be strictly kept dry throughout the winter quiescent period since it is very sensitive to any moisture excesses keep dry in winter.
Fertilization: Feed with a high potassium fertilizer in summer.
Hardiness: Not highly tolerant of a great deal of frost. They need to be kept in a cool place during winter rest and are resistant to light frost if kept on the dry side prior to, and during, cold weather ( they are hardy to -2 C ° C short periods). However some warmth throughout the year will increase the grower's success (minimum 5° to 10°C during rest season).
Exposition: Requires full sun or light shade and careful watering to keep plant compact with strong coloured spines. Tends to bronze in strong light, which encourages flowering and heavy spine production. Light shadow my be useful in the hottest summer days.
Uses: It is an excellent plant for container growing. It always looks good and stays small. It look fine in a cold greenhouse and frame or outdoor in a rockery.
Pests & diseases: It may be attractive to a variety of insects, but plants in good condition should be nearly pest-free, particularly if they are grown in a mineral potting-mix, with good exposure and ventilation. Nonetheless, there are several pests to watch for:
- Red spiders: Red spiders may be effectively rubbed up by watering the infested plants from above.
- Mealy bugs: Mealy bugs occasionally develop aerial into the new growth among the wool with disfiguring results, but the worst types develop underground on the roots and are invisible except by their effects.
- Scales: Scales are rarely a problem. It is wise to treat your whole collection with a systemic insecticide twice a year in spring and autumn.
- Rot: Rot is only a minor problem with cacti if the plants are watered and “aired” correctly. If they are not, fungicides won't help all that much. To prevent rottenness it is also advisable to surround its root neck by very rough sand or grit, this help a fast water drainage.
Propagation: Seeds (or offsets if available), Grafting is often used to speed growth rate and to create a back-up to plants in collection. Seeds germinate in 7-14 days at 21-27° C in spring, remove gradually the glass cover as soon the plants will be well rooted (ca 1-2 weeks) and keep ventilated, no full sun for young plants!