Hatiora salicornoides is found along the coast (and slightly inland) of the
Southeast Region of Brazil, in states that are parallel to the
Atlantic Ocean—although the plant is not typically found growing directly at sea level. Primarily, the species is known from the states of
Bahia,
Espírito Santo,
Minas Gerais,
Rio de Janeiro,
São Paulo and
Paraná;
cities and
municipalities where it is known from include
Belo Horizonte,
Curitiba,
São José dos Pinhais, and
Tiradentes, among others; it may also be found in and around metro
Rio de Janeiro and
São Paulo, where it grows naturally among tall trees, parks and landscaping. Additionally, a number of large botanic gardens and national parks are situated close to—or directly inside of—the city limits of Río de Janeiro and São Paulo, such as
Tijuca National Park and the
Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden, which help to provide a protected, natural habitat for these delicate
epiphytic cacti in the middle of two of the planet's most densely populated
megacities. The vast and fragile forested stretch of Southeastern Brazilian coastline, the Atlantic Forest
ecoregion (or
Mata Atlantico), contains dense, and relatively still-intact, forest habitat burgeoning with
endemic flora and fauna, including a number of
Hatiora species, among other jungle cacti. The region's rapid rate of plant growth, and high number of unique species, is attributed to a stable ambient humidity level and relatively consistent equatorial temperatures; in addition to the regular
precipitation and
thunderstorms the region receives, further humidity is gleaned by plants via
fog,
marine layer, and morning
dew. The region is also flowing with numerous rivers and streams, along which dozens of epiphytic species may be seen growing on tree branches directly above the water, seemingly "intentionally", as to directly benefit from the ambient humidity and cooling breezes generated by the fast-flowing river. Within the Atlantic forests, and indeed much of Brazil's forested regions, the limbs of trees are often the most common places to find epiphytic cacti.
Hatiora may be found growing in very high branches or closer to the
forest floor, or in peculiar and unexpected locations on any given tree.
Hatiora grow and become established wherever they have sprouted (from dispersed seed) or taken root,
vegetatively, via a broken segment or cutting separating and landing on a new tree branch. Vegetative (asexual) reproduction is typically the fastest means by which epiphytic cacti species can spread and establish new habitats. The plants utilize trees, boulders, logs or other natural objects as permanent, fixed structures. Trees in Brazilian forests often become "communities" or symbiotic "networks" featuring a myriad of arboreal cacti growing with other epiphytic
plant families and
genera, such as
Araceae,
Bromeliaceae,
ferns,
mosses,
Orchidaceae,
Peperomia,
Tradescantia, and more. Every available space is used to its maximum potential in these productive rainforests, with the plant-laden trees giving an almost "dripping" appearance. With most of the aforementioned plant types, as well as
Hatiora, root nodes or
internodes—part of the plant where each leaf connects with the next—will send out sticky-tipped aerial roots to anchor the plant in place, adhering to the textured tree bark. Once stability is achieved, the plants gradually grow and transform, moving slowly closer to the sunlight. In addition to thriving in moist forest, these diminutive cacti are also found growing on trees in the more open
savanna habitats, rocky outcrops, humid canyons, as well as montane regions, at elevations of . It is seldom, if ever, found rooted into the ground, and nearly always found growing arboreally or as a
lithophyte. ==Cultivation==