Fire Barrel Cactus - Ferocactus gracilis
Native to Southwest America and Northern Mexico, Fire Barrel Cactus is a striking drought-tolerant plant; suitable for xeriscaping. Thick curved spines make this plant a stand out. Yellow to red-orange flowers appear atop the fruit. The skin thickens with age, making older cacti more fire resistant.
Many cacti do not begin photosynthesis until the temperatures exceed 75 degrees F. Your cactus garden should receive more than half a day's worth of sunlight to stimulate flowering and growth. A bloom unpollinated during its first day may never get another chance. Many of the unprotected flowers becomes tidbits for the hungry critters active during the cool of the night. Cacti can be a fascinating blend of tough spines and delicate flowers, much like roses. Most of their stems have evolved to store water and the spines are actually modified leaves to protect the plant from foraging animals, provide some shade and protect against water loss as it evaporates from the plants tissues.
When the first European botanists first encountered these plants, they were bizarre and previously unknown in the Old World. They applied the Greek word, kaktos meaning 'thistle'. The demand for cacti was immediate. Today, collectors annually strip tons of cacti from North and South American deserts to sell in souvenir shops and nurseries. With many species now threatened or nearly extinct, we are loving our native cacti to death. As principle, make sure the cactus you buy wasn't collected from the countryside. They belong in nature too!
Encinitas, Southern California Summer 2010
Fire Barrel Cactus - Ferocactus gracilis
Native to Southwest America and Northern Mexico, Fire Barrel Cactus is a striking drought-tolerant plant; suitable for xeriscaping. Thick curved spines make this plant a stand out. Yellow to red-orange flowers appear atop the fruit. The skin thickens with age, making older cacti more fire resistant.
Many cacti do not begin photosynthesis until the temperatures exceed 75 degrees F. Your cactus garden should receive more than half a day's worth of sunlight to stimulate flowering and growth. A bloom unpollinated during its first day may never get another chance. Many of the unprotected flowers becomes tidbits for the hungry critters active during the cool of the night. Cacti can be a fascinating blend of tough spines and delicate flowers, much like roses. Most of their stems have evolved to store water and the spines are actually modified leaves to protect the plant from foraging animals, provide some shade and protect against water loss as it evaporates from the plants tissues.
When the first European botanists first encountered these plants, they were bizarre and previously unknown in the Old World. They applied the Greek word, kaktos meaning 'thistle'. The demand for cacti was immediate. Today, collectors annually strip tons of cacti from North and South American deserts to sell in souvenir shops and nurseries. With many species now threatened or nearly extinct, we are loving our native cacti to death. As principle, make sure the cactus you buy wasn't collected from the countryside. They belong in nature too!
Encinitas, Southern California Summer 2010