Xerophyte

Habit

It is a perennial stem succulent, which normally remains a solitary plant, without dividing or producing offsets.

Central Spines

One large, broad, flat and recurved at the tip, up to 7 cm long and 4-9 mm broad. This prominent spine is usually red, brownish-red or grey-red, but may be amber-coloured.

Seeds

Dark-brown, reniform, slightly pitted, 1,2-1,5 mm long.

Note

Juvenile Ferocactus latispinusSN|4259]]SN|4259]] subsp. spiralis shows a tuberculate structure, but as it approaches maturity will change to a ribbed formation.

Flowers

Campanulate, very pale pink with darker purple midveins and a deep almost maroon-pink throat and fragrant up to 2,5-4 cm long and about 3 cm broad. Perianth segments narrow, acute. Scales on the ovary ovate and closely imbricated. Scales on flower tube similar similar to those on the ovary but longer.

Blooming Season

Late autumn to early winter, usually in October, but it usually flowers only if the weather is warm and sunny ( need a fair amount of bright sunlight to form) This subspecies starts blooming only when reaches a diameter of about 20 cm, while Ferocactus latispinusSN|4280]]SN|4259]] starts blooming at a smaller size.

Ribs

13 to 23 ribs (but usually 15-21), sharp and prominent vertical or and twisting as it grows, hence its epithet.

Stem

Light green to blue-green, larger, upright, spherical to shortly cylindrical, 25 to 45 cm in diameter, 25-50 cm tall, most often taller than wide and exceptionally up to 100 cm tall.

Radial Spines

5-7 up to 2,5 cm long, stouter than in the standard species, straight, widely spreading out, annulate white, yellow, pink or reddish. Lacking the more delicate spider-like lateral spines of Ferocactus latispinusSN|4259]]SN|4259]].

Fruits

Oblong about 2 or more cm long, 1,2 mm in diameter, clothed in tapering scales.

Areoles

Large with grey to blackish felt atop bumps along the ribs.