Golden barrel cactus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Golden barrel cactus |
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Cacteae
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E. platyacanthus
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| Echinocactus platyacanthus Link & Otto
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The giant barrel cactus (scientific name: Echinocactus platyacanthus) is a really big cactus! People also call it the golden barrel cactus or giant viznaga. It grows naturally in central Mexico, especially in the Chihuahuan Desert. This cactus is the largest type of barrel cactus. Long ago, people in Mexico used its tough outer hairs for weaving cloth. They also made a traditional candy by boiling the soft inside part of the cactus.
About the Giant Barrel Cactus
This amazing cactus grows very slowly. It can reach up to 2.5 meters (about 8 feet) tall and 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) wide. Some of these cacti can live for more than 100 years! There are even photos of them being almost 1.2 meters (about 4 feet) thick.
One of the biggest known giant barrel cacti is named "Goliat." It lives in a natural area called "Area Natural de Daxpe" in Mexico. Goliat is about 2.95 meters (9 feet 8 inches) tall and almost a meter (3 feet) thick. It weighs around 3 metric tons, which is like 6,600 pounds!
The stems of these cacti are a grayish-blue color. They have strong, straight, black spines. The very top of the cactus is flat and covered with a soft, yellow, felt-like material.
Flowers and Fruit
Giant barrel cacti have many ribs along their sides. They also have large areoles, which are small, cushion-like areas where spines and flowers grow. Their flowers are bright yellow and shaped like tubes. They open during the day (diurnal) and bloom from late spring into summer. Each flower grows to about 2 centimeters (0.8 inches) tall and 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) wide.
After the flowers, the cactus grows fruit. The fruit is about 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) long. It is covered by a fuzzy, hairy wool.
Gallery
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Echinocactus platyacanthus at 16 days
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At 14 cm
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Inflorescence
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In natural habitat
See also
In Spanish: Echinocactus platyacanthus para niños
