Key tree cactus
Pilosocereus robinii
Pilosocereus robinii is a species of cactus known by the common name Key tree-cactus. It is native to the Florida Keys in the United States, northwestern Cuba, and the north of The Bahamas.
4
Countries
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilosocereus_robinii
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Family
Cactaceae
Genus
Pilosocereus
Key tree cactus belongs to the family Cactaceae, order Caryophyllales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
Pilosocereus robinii is a species of cactus known by the common name Key tree-cactus. It is native to the Florida Keys in the United States, northwestern Cuba, and the north of The Bahamas. It has been erroneously reported from Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Mexico.
The Key tree cactus faces severe threats primarily from habitat loss due to coastal development and sea level rise in the Florida Keys. Hurricane damage and human disturbance from recreational activities further compound the species' vulnerability, with the extremely limited range making recovery difficult.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Pilosocereus robinii is native to the north of The Bahamas (Andros and Cat Island north to Abaco), northwestern Cuba (the provinces of La Habana, Matanzas, and Mayabeque), and the United States (the Florida Keys). It is the only Pilosocereus species native to the United States. In the Florida Keys, P. robinii grows in upland tropical hardwood hammocks on limestone or coral substrates. It...
Threats
IUCN Red List: Endangered
The Key tree cactus faces severe threats primarily from habitat loss due to coastal development and sea level rise in the Florida Keys. Hurricane damage and human disturbance from recreational activities further compound the species' vulnerability, with the extremely limited range making recovery difficult.
Coastal development and urbanization
Hurricane and storm damage
Sea level rise and saltwater intrusion
Human trampling and recreational disturbance
Invasive plant species competition
Found in 4 Countries
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Key tree cactus (Pilosocereus robinii). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/key-tree-cactus