Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Grass
Origin
North America, Southwestern United States, Mexico
North America, Canada, Mexico
Types
Echinocactus parryi, Echinocactus texensis
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum
Number of Varieties
5038
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Gravels, Sandy areas
Prairies
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-154-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
9 - 1
Sunset Zone
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm150.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Magenta
Green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow
-
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Tan, Sandy Brown
Shape
Leaf Shape
Succulent
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Heat Tolerance, Shade areas
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Divison, Root Division
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
fertilize in summer, Potassium
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Spider mites
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Shade areas
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Fine
Foliage Sheen
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Insects, Mealybugs, Spider Mites
Birds, Wildlife
Allergy
Skin cuts
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Very little waste
Air purification, Provides ground cover, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
ECHINOCACTUS
PANICUM virgatum
Common Name
Golden barrel cactus, Golden ball
Switchgrass
In Hindi
echinocactus
Switchgrass
In German
echinocactus
Switchgrass
In French
echinocactus
switchgrass
In Spanish
echinocactus
switchgrass
In Greek
Echinocactus
switchgrass
In Portuguese
Echinocactus
switchgrass
In Polish
Echinocactus
switchgrass
In Latin
Echinocactus
switchgrass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Cyperales
Family
Cactaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Echinocactus
Panicum
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Cacteae
Paniceae
Subfamily
Cactoideae
Panicoideae
Number of Species
11450
1
27800
👆🏻