Echinocactus platyacanthus
giant barrel cactus
Family CactaceaeAlso called giant viznaga, biznaga de dulce
IUCN: Near threatened Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)
About
The giant barrel cactus of central Mexico's Chihuahuan Desert is the largest of the barrel cacti, reaching 2.5 m and living over a century. Its hairs have been used for weaving and its pith to make the candy acitrón.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- Not recorded. We have no source on whether this plant is safe for cats, dogs or other pets — that is not the same as safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked.
- People
- Not recorded.
- Growth rate
- Slow.
- Mature size
- Up to 2.5 m tall and 1.5 m wide.
Field notes
Morphology
A slow-growing barrel up to 2.5 m tall and 1.5 m wide. The largest known, 'Goliat' at Daxpe in Cadereyta, Querétaro, is 2.95 m tall and weighs about 3 tonnes.
Distribution & habitat
Central Mexico, in the Chihuahuan Desert.
History & etymology
Its Nahuatl name is huitzli nahual. In Mexico its hairs are used for weaving, and acitrón, a traditional candy, is made by boiling the pith.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- Mexico
- IUCN status
- Near threatened
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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