Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Golden Barrel Cactus
Golden Barrel Cactus is the round, ribbed cactus covered in bright golden spines that shows up in desert yards all over the Valley. It grows very slowly, about an inch or two a year, toward 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. The size you plant is close to the size you keep for years. Use one as an accent by the entry, set a few of different sizes together in a cactus bed, or grow one in a pot on the patio. Mature plants carry a ring of yellow flowers on top in spring and summer.
Best for: accents by the entry, groupings of different sizes in a cactus bed, and patio pots where you want a round, golden shape that barely changes size for years.
A single golden barrel makes a clean accent by a front walk or entry. It grows only an inch or two a year, so it keeps the same look for many years. Set it in fast-draining soil where it gets at least 6 hours of sun.
Golden barrels look their best in groups, and gardeners often mix plants of different sizes in one bed. Because they grow so slowly, buying a few sizes gives the look of an older planting right away. Keep the group away from lawn or drip lines that water other plants.
It makes a good patio or pot plant because it stays small for years. Use a gritty cactus mix and a pot with a drainage hole, only an inch or two wider than the root ball. Let the mix dry out completely before you water again.
Soil that stays wet causes root rot, which is the main way people lose one. It can be damaged below about 20°F, so cover it on hard frost nights. A newly planted barrel can sunburn if the shaded side is turned to face the sun.
- Group planting4 ft apart
- From the property line3 ft
Before you take it out of the pot, mark the side that faced south in the nursery, and plant it facing the same way. The side that grew in shade can sunburn if it is turned toward the sun. Do not water for one to two weeks after planting.
Water a young plant about once a month in the hot months unless it rains, and let the soil dry between waterings. Once it is rooted, it needs water only in a long dry spell. Give it very little water in winter, and do not plant it beside plants on regular drip.
It grows in full sun and needs at least 6 hours a day. Young and newly planted barrels do better with some afternoon shade in the hottest months. Light shade cloth works for the first summer.
It can be damaged below about 20°F. On hard frost nights, cover it with frost cloth or a sheet that reaches the ground, not plastic, and take it off in the morning.
Plants in the ground do not need fertilizer. In a pot, use a gritty cactus mix and feed with a diluted cactus fertilizer in spring and summer only.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does a golden barrel cactus get?
It grows slowly to about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide, adding only an inch or two a year. Buy the size you want to see now, since it will look much the same for years.
How often should I water a golden barrel cactus?
Wait one to two weeks after planting before the first water. Water a young plant about once a month in the hot months unless it rains, and let the soil dry out in between. Once it is rooted, it needs very little extra water, and very little in winter.
Does it need afternoon shade in Phoenix?
It grows in full sun, but young plants do better with some afternoon shade in the hottest months. Give it at least 6 hours of sun a day so it keeps its shape and color.
Why did my new golden barrel get pale patches?
Those bleached patches are sunburn, and they are permanent. They usually happen when the side that was shaded in the nursery is turned to face the sun. Mark the south side before planting and plant it facing the same way.
How cold can a golden barrel cactus take?
It is hardy to about 20°F and can handle brief dips into the teens. On hard frost nights, cover it with frost cloth or a sheet that reaches the ground, not plastic, and take it off in the morning.
When does a golden barrel bloom?
Mature plants carry a ring of yellow flowers on top in spring and summer. Plants usually need 15 to 20 years and more than a foot of width before they bloom, so a young plant will not flower yet.
Is the white fuzz on top normal?
Yes. The top of a golden barrel carries pale wool around the growing point, and it is a normal part of the plant. Leave it alone, since it is not a pest or a disease.
Can I grow a golden barrel in a pot?
Yes, it makes a good pot plant. Use a gritty cactus mix, a pot with at least one drainage hole, and a pot only an inch or two wider than the root ball. Water only after the mix has dried all the way through.
Does it need fertilizer?
Plants in the ground do not need fertilizer. In a pot, you can feed it with a diluted cactus fertilizer in spring and summer, and stop in fall and winter.
How do I handle it without getting stuck?
The spines are stiff and sharp, so wear heavy gloves. Wrap the plant in folded carpet, cardboard or a thick towel to lift it, and use kitchen tongs for small ones.
Will rabbits eat a golden barrel?
Golden barrel is rabbit resistant, so you can plant it where rabbits damage softer plants. Its dense spines protect the body of the plant.
Can I separate the pups on an older golden barrel?
Older plants sometimes make pups around the base. Once a pup is a couple of inches wide, twist it off with rubber-tipped tongs or cut it with a clean knife. Let the base dry, then plant it in fast-draining soil.
Golden Barrel Cactus for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Golden Barrel Cactus, Echinocactus grusonii, comes from central Mexico and is one of the most planted cacti in the American Southwest. This page covers its size, sun and water needs in the Valley, cold hardiness, bloom, and how to plant and handle it.
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How big does a golden barrel cactus get?
It grows slowly to about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide, adding only an inch or two a year. A plant you buy today will look much the same for years, so buy the size you want to see now.
How often do you water a golden barrel cactus in Phoenix?
Water a young plant about once a month in the hot months unless it rains. Once it is rooted, it needs water only in a long dry spell and very little in winter. Overwatering is the main cause of root rot.
Does golden barrel cactus need shade in Arizona?
It grows in full sun and needs at least 6 hours a day. Young plants do better with some afternoon shade in the hottest months, and every plant should face the same way it grew.
Is golden barrel cactus cold hardy?
It is hardy to about 20°F and can take brief dips into the teens. Cover it with frost cloth or a sheet on hard frost nights and take the cover off in the morning.
When does golden barrel cactus bloom?
Mature plants carry a ring of yellow flowers on top in spring and summer. Most plants need 15 to 20 years before they bloom.
Golden barrel cactus in pots
Golden barrel makes a good patio pot plant because it grows so slowly. Use a gritty cactus mix, a drainage hole and a pot only slightly wider than the root ball.
Single golden barrel vs golden barrel clusters
A single golden barrel is one round head. A cluster is a golden barrel that has made pups and grown into a clump of several heads, which gives a fuller, older look in one planting.
Is golden barrel cactus rare in the wild?
Yes. It is endangered in the wild in central Mexico, even though it is one of the most common cacti in Southwest yards.
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