Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit, Shrub
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
South America
North America, Southwestern United States, Mexico
Types
V. × heilbornii
Colville's Barrel Cactus, Long-spined Barrel Cactus, Barrel Cactus
Number of Varieties
029
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
limestone outcrops, Rocky areas, Semi desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1112-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-9
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm40.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm13.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
Yellow, Magenta
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
Pink, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Palmate
-
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Vegetative Reproduction
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Needs good drainage, Needs very little water, Water carefully
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove shoots
-
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
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
Coarse
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Digestive disorders
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Flowers
Other Uses
Used in making champagne
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
ECHINOCACTUS horizonthalonius
Common Name
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
Devilshead, Turk's head cactus, Blue barrel cactus, Eagle's claw, Horse maimer, Horse crippler, Visnaga meloncillo
In Hindi
Babaco
Blue barrel cactus
In German
Babaco
Blau Faßkaktus
In French
Babaco
Bleu barrel cactus
In Spanish
Babaco
biznaga Azul
In Greek
Babaco
Μπλε βαρέλι κάκτος
In Portuguese
Babaco
cacto de tambor azul
In Polish
Babaco
Niebieski baryłkę kaktus
In Latin
Babaco
Blue Cactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Brassicales
Caryophyllales
Family
Caricaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Vasconcellea
Echinocactus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Cacteae
Subfamily
-
Cactaceae
Number of Species
129
1
27800
👆🏻