Blue Barrel / Blue Barrel Cactus – Desert Horizon Nursery

Blue Barrel

Ferocactus glaucescens

Water
Low water; water deeply but infrequently during warm weather, allowing soil to dry completely between waterings. Keep nearly dry in winter.
Toxicity
Description
A rounded Mexican barrel cactus with blue-gray ribs and golden-yellow spines, developing a short cylindrical form with age.
Deciduous / Evergreen
Growth Rate
Growth Habit
Flower Color
Foliage Color
Non-toxic
Care Instructions

Light: Full sun to light shade; afternoon shade is beneficial in Phoenix, especially for young plants. Acclimate gradually to direct sun.

Water: Low water; water deeply but infrequently during warm weather, allowing soil to dry completely between waterings. Keep nearly dry in winter.

Soil: Very well-drained, gritty or gravelly soil. Use cactus mix amended with pumice for containers; avoid moisture-retentive soil.

Mature size: Typically 1–2 feet tall and 1–2 feet wide; old, offsetting specimens can form wider clumps.

Bloom: Yellow flowers appear around the crown in spring to early summer once plants reach flowering size.

Evergreen / deciduous: Evergreen succulent.

Growth rate: Slow.