Ferocactus means "wild or fierce" cactus, and cylindraceus means
cylindrical. These cacti are well protected with fishhook-like spines. They are natives of
the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.
Identification: Plants are up to 9½′ (3 m) high and
1½′ (50 cm) in diameter, usually found singly, rarely branched. The stem has 20-30 ribs
which may be vertical or spirally arranged. Most notable are the central spines, of which
there are 4-7 in each group. These large spines are variously colored white,
red, yellow, or brown. They have rounded or flat cross-sections, and are often curved. Each central spine is 1¾-6″ (5-15 cm)
long. Radial spines resembling the spokes of a wheel appear underneath the central spine
clusters. They are much smaller, almost hairlike, often white, in clusters of 15-25. Yellow (rarely orange)
funnel-shaped
flowers are 1½-2″ (4-6 cm) in diameter and 1-2″ (3-6 cm) long. Rarely, the flowers have a
reddish midstripe. Fruits are bright yellow 1-1½″ (3-4 cm) × ½-¾″ (1.5-2 cm), and
leathery.