Echinocactus

Echinocactus is a genus of large barrel-shaped cacti, usually with large spines and small flowers. The generic name derives from the Ancient Greek echino- "spiny" and cactus. Other types of Barrel Cactus are assigned to genus Ferocactus.

Additional species used to be included in the genus but now the number is reduced to six. They thrive on plenty of sun.

Perhaps the best known species is Echinocactus grusonii from Mexico, which is popularly known as the Golden Barrel Cactus, an easy-to-grow and widely cultivated plant.


Selected species
Ferocactus wislizeni, the Fishhook Barrel Cactus, also called Arizona Barrel Cactus, Candy Barrel Cactus, and Southwestern Barrel Cactus, is a cylindrical barrel-shaped cactus. The Fishhook Barrel cactus typically grows to a diameter of roughly two feet and a height of three to six feet. However, specimens as wide as three feet and tall as ten feet have been recorded. The common name comes from the spines, which are thick and hooked. It has a leathery asparagus green cortex (skin) with approximately 15-28 ribs per cactus. Its flowers are yellow to red-orange and appear atop the cactus fruit during the summer months. The fruits are green when unripe, yellow after the flower dries up, and persist atop the cactus long after the flower is gone, sometimes for more than a year.
In adulthood, the Fishhook Barrel generally leans southward toward the sun, earning it the nickname "Compass Barrel." One theory about why this happens is that the afternoon sun is so intense that it slows the growth on the exposed side, causing the plant to grow unevenly. Older barrel can lean so far that they uproot themselves and fall over especially after heavy rains when the soil is loose. Its life cycle is 50-100 years.
The Fishhook Barrel is native to southwestern United States and northern Mexico. More specifically, it can be found in southern Arizona, southern New Mexico, El Paso County, Texas and northern Sonora and Chihuahua, Mexico.

Echinocactus grusonii is a well known species of cactus native to central Mexico from San Luis Potosi to Hidalgo. Described by Heinrich Hildmann in 1891, it is popularly known as the Golden Barrel Cactus, Golden Ball or, amusingly, Mother-in-Law's Cushion. Despite being one of the most popular cacti in cultivation, it is rare and critically endangered in the wild.
Growing as a large roughly spherical globe, it may eventually reach over a meter in height after many years. There may be up to 35 pronounced ribs in mature plants, though they are not evident in young plants, which may have a knobbly appearance. Note: Younger Golden Barrels do not look similar to the mature ones. The sharp spines are long, straight or slightly curved, and various shades of yellow or, occasionally, white. Small yellow flowers appear in summer around the crown of the plant, but only after twenty years or so.
Widely cultivated in warmer climates around the world, it is considered easy to grow and relatively fast growing. It has been increasingly used as an architectural plant in garden design. Jamie Durie, one of Australia's leading garden designers, has called it one of his personal favourite plants. A white-spined form is also in cultivation, as is a short-spined form.
While easy to grow, these plants do have some basic requirements; an average minimum winter temperature of 12°C, good drainage with less watering in winter. Excess water in cool periods may lead to rot.
Outside Mexico, Echinocactus grusonii specimens may be seen in collections of desert plants in many botanical gardens.

Echinocactus polycephalus

Echinocactus platyacanthus

Echinocactus texensis

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