Mexican barrel cactus
Ferocactus histrix

Family: Cactaceae

What it is like

A cactus. The plants usually occur singly. They are a flattened round shape. They can be 1.1 m high and 80 cm wide. The stem tips are woolly. There are 20-40 ribs. The spine buds join each other. The spines are stout and yellow turning brown. There are 1-4 central spines that are up to 9 cm long and 3-9 spines around these which are 8 cm long. The flowers are bell shaped and yellow. They are 2-3.5 cm long and 2.5-3.5 cm wide. The fruit are fleshy. They are 2-3 cm long and burst open to release their seeds.

Where it is found

In Hobart Botanical Gardens.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia, Central America, Mexico, North America, Slovenia, Tasmania

How it is used for food

The flower buds are fried or boiled and eaten. The middle of the stem is removed and cut into pieces and boiled for 2-3 hours and sugar added then boiled to a thick candy. The fruit are eaten raw. The juice from the fruit is extracted and used in marmalade and wines.

Fruit are sold in markets.

Edible parts

Flower buds, stem, fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Barrel cactus, Biznaguita, Ferokakt

Synonyms

Echinocactus histrix A. P. de Candolle; Bisnaga histrix (A. P. de Candolle) Doweld; Ferocactus melocactiformis Britton & Rose;