Xerophyte

Central Spines

1

Seeds

Large, black, shining, reniform.

Description

It is a slowly growing massive barrel cactus usually solitary that grows huge in habitat ( up to 2,5 m tall, 1,5 m wide). It could live more than a hundred years. This cactus is easily recognized by it's large size, being the largest of all barrel cacti.

Flowers

Diurnal, tubular, about 2 cm long, 3 cm broad, vivid yellow. Inner perianth segments, linear-oblong, yellow entire, obtuse. Stigma lobes brick red, about 8.

Blooming Season

From end of spring to summer only on larger mature specimens receiving enough full sun. Mature specimens often have a somewhat sway-backed, saddle-shaped apex, densely covered in white wool, where their flowers emerge.

Spines

All straight, thick, rigid, about 2,5-3 cm long, black, brown or grey with brown tips.

Ribs

6 to 48, The surface is broken into obtuse, tuberculate and nice ribs when small, whilst large plants are heavily ribbed., the number of ribs increases with maturity.

Stem

Globular to cylindrical, , slightly flattened at the apex, grey-blue to yellowish-green often with reddish accents. The center of the apex is covered with yellowish felt.

Radial Spines

6-8

Fruits

Ovoid 3 cm long, copiously covered by wool coming from the axil of the scales.

Areoles

2,5-3 cm apart, elliptical covered with yellow felt, the areoles in old specimen are sunken beneath a ridge of felt running down the ribs forming a continuous line.