Golden barrel cactus
Kroenleinia grusonii (Hildm.) Lodé
Also called golden barrel cactus. Synonyms: Echinocactus grusonii.
Globe-shaped cactus covered in bright golden spines that glow when backlit. Effective massed in gravel beds and containers.
Size over time
Typical landscape size 0.6–0.9 m (2–3 ft) tall and 0.6–0.9 m (2–3 ft) wide; slow growth, about 20 years to maturity. Intermediate sizes use the planner’s growth curve (k = 0.12) from the #5 install size.
Bloom
Yellow flowers, May–Jun (northern-hemisphere months; timing shifts with region and season).
| Plant | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden barrel cactus : May–Jun |
Design notes
- Light afternoon shade in the low desert prevents sunburn on young plants.
- Nearly extinct in the wild — buy nursery-propagated plants.
Regions
Native range: Central Mexico (rare in the wild).
Not recorded as native to any of the three pilot regions.
Native status describes where the species occurs naturally. It is not a promise that it suits a particular garden; site conditions decide that.
Related plants
Plan with Golden barrel cactus
Place it in a design, check it against your zone, light and moisture, and see it at year three and year ten.