Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Golden Barrel Clusters
Golden Barrel Clusters are golden barrel cacti that have made pups and grown into a clump of several round heads. Each head is covered in bright golden spines and grows slowly toward 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. A cluster gives the look of a mature planting from day one. Mature heads carry a ring of pale yellow flowers at the top in spring and summer. Clusters make a focal point in a cactus garden, an entry bed or a large pot.
Best for: focal points in cactus gardens, entry beds and large pots where you want the look of a mature golden barrel planting right away.
A cluster gives several golden heads in one planting. It works as the center of a cactus garden or at an entry, where the gold spines catch low sun.
A smaller cluster fits a large pot with a gritty cactus mix and a drainage hole. Use a pot only an inch or two wider than the root ball.
Golden barrels grow only about 1 to 2 inches a year. A cluster keeps its size and shape for many years with little care.
Soggy soil causes root rot, the main way to lose one. It can be damaged below about 20°F. A newly planted cluster can sunburn if it is turned from the way it grew.
- Group planting4 ft apart
- From the property line3 ft
Plant the cluster facing the same way it grew, since the shaded side can sunburn. Do not water for 1 to 2 weeks after planting.
Water a young plant about monthly in the hot months unless it rains. Once it is rooted, water only in extreme drought, and give it none in winter.
It grows in full sun. Young and newly planted clusters appreciate some afternoon shade in the hottest months.
It can be damaged below about 20°F. On frost nights, cover it with frost cloth or a sheet that reaches the ground, not plastic, and take it off in the morning. It can take brief dips into the teens, but cover it on hard frost nights.
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.
What is a golden barrel cluster?
It is a golden barrel cactus that has made pups and grown into a clump of several heads. Plant it as one piece for a mature look right away.
How big does a golden barrel get?
Each head grows slowly to about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide, at about 1 to 2 inches a year. Old clumps can spread several feet across.
How often should I water it?
Wait 1 to 2 weeks after planting before the first water. Water a young plant about monthly in the hot months unless it rains. Once rooted, it needs water only in extreme drought, and none in winter.
Does it need afternoon shade in Phoenix?
It grows in full sun, but young plants appreciate some afternoon shade in the hottest months. Plant it facing the same way it grew to avoid sunburn.
How cold can it take?
It is hardy to about 20°F and can take brief dips into the teens. On hard frost nights, cover it with frost cloth or a sheet down to the ground.
When does golden barrel bloom?
Pale yellow flowers form a ring at the top of mature heads in spring and summer. Plants usually need many years and a foot of width before they bloom.
Can I separate the heads?
Pups can be twisted off with rubber-tipped tongs once they are a couple of inches wide. Let the base dry before planting it in fast-draining soil.
How do I handle it without getting stuck?
The spines are stiff and sharp, so wear thick gloves. Wrap the cluster in folded carpet or cardboard to lift it.
What soil does it need in the Valley?
Plant it in soil that drains fast, like sandy or gravelly native soil, with no compost. If you hit caliche, break through it so water drains, or choose another spot.
Golden Barrel Clusters for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Golden Barrel Clusters are Echinocactus grusonii, the golden barrel cactus from central Mexico, grown into a clump of several heads. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard or pot: size, sun, water, cold, flowers and planting direction.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
What are golden barrel cactus clusters?
They are golden barrel cacti that have grown into clumps of several heads. Each head has bright golden spines and a round shape.
How big do golden barrel cactus get?
Each head grows slowly to about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide, at about 1 to 2 inches a year. Old clumps can spread several feet across.
How often do you water golden barrel cactus in Phoenix?
Water a young plant about monthly in the hot months unless it rains. Once it is rooted, water only in extreme drought, and not at all in winter.
Does golden barrel cactus need shade in Arizona?
It grows in full sun. Young plants appreciate 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 on hard frost nights.
Golden barrel cactus flowers
Mature heads carry a ring of pale yellow flowers at the top in spring and summer. Plants usually bloom only after many years.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.