Ferocactus chrysacanthus
Common: Barrel cactus
Family: Cactaceae
Origin: Native to Cedros Islands of Baja California, Mexico
Light: Full sun
Soil: Sandy, sandy loam
Water: Drought tolerant
Excellent for growing in containers on patios, and in greenhouses. Also excellent xeriscape plants. Mostly solitary, cylindrical catcus up to four feet tall and one ft. thick. Spines vary from red to yellow, up to 2 inches long and curved. Yellow flowers. In summer, large bell or funnel shaped flowers are produced at plant's crown, usually followed by sticky, yellow berries.
Ferocactus, meaning "fierce or wild cactus,"are always cylindrical or barrel shaped and are usually among the largest cacti of the North American deserts. Resembles Echinocactus. This group consists of about 35 cacti found across the southwest US and northern Mexico. Usually globular shaped when young, they eventually become columnar with age, some species gradually reaching a height of up to 13 feet.