Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Shrub
Origin
North America, Southwestern United States, Mexico
Southern Africa
Types
Colville's Barrel Cactus, Long-spined Barrel Cactus, Barrel Cactus
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Number of Varieties
2920
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
limestone outcrops, Rocky areas, Semi desert
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
12-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-9
Sunset Zone
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
40.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
13.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Magenta
White
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Pink, Red
Light Red
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
-
Elliptic and Ovate
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
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Shade areas
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs good drainage, Needs very little water, Water carefully
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water daily during growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
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
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
-
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Shade areas
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds
Allergy
-
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
ECHINOCACTUS horizonthalonius
CARISSA macrocarpa
Common Name
Devilshead, Turk's head cactus, Blue barrel cactus, Eagle's claw, Horse maimer, Horse crippler, Visnaga meloncillo
Carissia
In Hindi
Blue barrel cactus
Carissa
In German
Blau Faßkaktus
carissa
In French
Bleu barrel cactus
carissa
In Spanish
biznaga Azul
carissa
In Greek
Μπλε βαρέλι κάκτος
carissa
In Portuguese
cacto de tambor azul
carissa
In Polish
Niebieski baryłkę kaktus
carissa
In Latin
Blue Cactus
carissa
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Gentianales
Family
Cactaceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Echinocactus
Carissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Cacteae
Carisseae
Subfamily
Cactaceae
Rauvolfioideae
Number of Species
29100
1
27800
👆🏻