Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Tree
Origin
North America, Southwestern United States, Mexico
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Types
Colville's Barrel Cactus, Long-spined Barrel Cactus, Barrel Cactus
-
Number of Varieties
293
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
limestone outcrops, Rocky areas, Semi desert
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
12-154-9
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, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
40.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
13.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Magenta
Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Pink, Red
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
-
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
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
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs good drainage, Needs very little water, Water carefully
Requires a lot of watering, 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
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
-
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
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
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
-
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Erosion control, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
ECHINOCACTUS horizonthalonius
BETULA nigra
Common Name
Devilshead, Turk's head cactus, Blue barrel cactus, Eagle's claw, Horse maimer, Horse crippler, Visnaga meloncillo
River Birch
In Hindi
Blue barrel cactus
River Birch
In German
Blau Faßkaktus
Fluss Birch
In French
Bleu barrel cactus
Birch river
In Spanish
biznaga Azul
river Birch
In Greek
Μπλε βαρέλι κάκτος
ποταμός Birch
In Portuguese
cacto de tambor azul
river Birch
In Polish
Niebieski baryłkę kaktus
Rzeka Birch
In Latin
Blue Cactus
Betula
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Fagales
Family
Cactaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Echinocactus
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Cacteae
-
Subfamily
Cactaceae
-
Number of Species
293
1
27800
👆🏻