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Golden Barrel Cactus

• ​Common Name: Golden Barrel Cactus (Other common names: Golden Ball, Golden Ball Cactus, Asiento de Suegra, Uitsnauatl, Mother-in-Law’s-Cushion, Mother-in-Law’s-Seat, Barril Dorado)
  
• Scientific Name: Echinocactus grusonii
  
• Family Name: Cactaceae
  
• Origin: Mexico
  
• Height: 2’ – 4’
  
• Width: 2’ – 4’
  
• Growth: grows quick at first and then slows down, in about 10 years it may reach about 10” in diameter.
  
• Zone: 9A - 11
  
• Light Needs: Full sun
  
• Salt Tolerance:  moderate
  
• Soil/PH/Texture: will tolerate poor soil, prefers loam and sand, mildly acidic – mildly alkaline, (pH 6.1 – 7.8)
  
• Soil Moisture: Mesic – Dry Mesic, water when the top inch or two of the soil is dry, not enough sunlight or overwatering are the most common mistakes made for this cactus.
  
• Drought Tolerance: High
  
• Pests/Diseases: No serious pests or diseases besides the common mealy bug
  
• Growing Conditions: easy to grow and low maintenance
  
• Characteristics: globe shaped stem that becomes barrel shaped as it matures with a pale green, heavily ribbed that sprouts radial yellow spines from its numerous areoles. The blooms are showy pale yellow, 2” – 3” in diameter, and appear in the summer, but only show up after 20 years or so! fruit is wooly
  
• Propagation: by dividing rhizomes, corms, tubers, bulbs, offsets, taking stem cuttings or planting by seed.
  
• Wildlife: unknown
  
• Facts: This plant is an endangered species and is known to have a lifespan of 50 years.
  
• Designer Considerations: use as a specimen plant, accent in a garden bed, in a rock, cactus, or succulent garden, as a houseplant, a container plant for your patio, perfect for xeriscaping, and even works well as a houseplant.
  

Golden Barrel Cactus