Echinocactus grusonii facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Echinocactus grusonii
Echinocactus grusonii in a cactus collection
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification

The Echinocactus grusonii, also known as the golden barrel cactus, golden ball, or mother-in-law's cushion, is a type of barrel cactus. It grows naturally only in east-central Mexico.

This cactus is quite rare and endangered in the wild. You can find it near Mesa de León in Querétaro and in Hidalgo. Its numbers dropped a lot in the 1990s. This happened when the Zimapán Dam and reservoir were built in Hidalgo. The golden barrel cactus grows on volcanic rock slopes. It lives at high places, around 1,400 meters (4,600 feet) above sea level.

What is a Golden Barrel Cactus?

The Echinocactus grusonii belongs to a small group of cacti called Echinocactus. This group, along with Ferocactus, are often called barrel cacti. A German plant expert named Heinrich Hildmann first described this plant in 1891.

Sometimes people call it a golden ball. But don't confuse it with Notocactus leninghausii. That cactus has soft, harmless spines and comes from Brazil and Paraguay.

Scientists have studied the Echinocactus grusonii recently. They found it might be a mix of Echinocactus and Ferocactus plants. Because of this, some experts have moved it to its own group. They suggest its new name should be Kroenleinia grusonii Lodé. However, not everyone agrees with this change yet.

What Does It Look Like?

The golden barrel cactus starts as a small plant. As it grows, it becomes a large, round shape, like a big ball. After many years, it can grow to be over 1 meter (3 feet) tall. Young golden barrel plants look different from older ones. It takes about 30 years for a new generation of these cacti to grow.

Older plants can have up to 35 clear ridges, called ribs. These ribs are not easy to see on young plants, which might look bumpy. The cactus has sharp spines. They are long, straight, or a little bit curved. These spines can be different shades of yellow, or sometimes white.

Small yellow flowers appear in the summer. They grow around the top of the plant. But the cactus usually needs to be about twenty years old before it starts to flower.

Growing Golden Barrel Cacti

Golden barrel cacti at the Huntington

Many plant nurseries grow Echinocactus grusonii. It is a popular ornamental plant for gardens. People plant it in pots, desert habitat gardens, rock gardens, and special greenhouses. You can also find forms with white spines or short spines.

It is one of the most popular cacti to grow. It is also becoming popular in modern garden designs. People use it as a special plant to make a garden look interesting.

This cactus is considered easy to grow in warm places. It also grows quite fast. Golden barrel cacti need a few basic things to grow well. They need a winter temperature of at least 12 °C (53.6 °F). They also need soil that drains water well. It's important to water them less in winter. Too much water when it's cool can make the plant rot. Golden barrels can handle cold temperatures down to about −8 °C (15 °F) for short times.

You can see Echinocactus grusonii in many botanical gardens. These gardens often have collections of desert plants. In the UK, this cactus has won a special prize. It received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

Golden Barrel Cactus Pictures

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  Mature golden barrels showing their distinctive clustering habit. Photo from the Huntington Desert Garden in California.

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  Closeup of the top.

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  Echinocactus grusonii, a nearly spineless form

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  Echinocactus grusonii spine detail at the United States Botanic Gardens

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  Stereoscopic crossview of a golden barrel cactus.

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  Spine detail

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  Flower detail

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  Fruit detail

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  Seeds

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  Mature golden barrel in cluster form in a greenhouse in Kalimpong

Want to Learn More?

In Spanish: Echinocactus grusonii para niños

• Cacti of Mexico