Blue Barrel / Blue Barrel Cactus – Desert Horizon Nursery

Blue Barrel Cactus

Ferocactus glaucescens

Light
Water
Low water; water deeply, then let soil dry completely. Water occasionally during hot, dry weather and keep nearly dry in winter.
Toxicity
Description
A rounded Mexican cactus with blue-gray skin, pronounced ribs, and golden-yellow spines; older plants may form small clusters.
Bloom Time
Deciduous / Evergreen
Growth Rate
Growth Habit
Flower Color
Foliage Color
Non-toxic
Care Instructions

Light: Full sun to light shade; in Phoenix, provide afternoon shade from intense summer sun, especially for young or newly planted specimens.

Water: Low water; water deeply, then let soil dry completely. Water occasionally during hot, dry weather and keep nearly dry in winter.

Soil: Very well-drained, gritty or rocky soil. Use mineral-rich cactus mix in containers and raised planting areas where native soil drains poorly.

Mature size: Usually 1–2 feet tall and 1–2 feet wide per stem; older clusters can spread wider.

Bloom: Typically blooms in spring to early summer once mature.

Evergreen / deciduous: Evergreen.

Growth rate: Slow.