Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Mexico
North America, Northeastern United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States
Types
-
Ilex glabra, Ilex crenata, Ilex verticillata
Number of Varieties
203
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Rocky areas, Well Drained
Coastal Regions, Lowland, Mountains, Subtropical climates, Suburban areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-155-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
9-1
Sunset Zone
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
-
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Succulent
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Stem Cutting
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs very little water
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water more in summer, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
-
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bonsai, Mixed Border
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
-
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
-
Can be made into a herbal tea
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
ECHINOCACTUS grusonii
ILEX glabra
Common Name
golden barrel cactus
golden ball
mother-in-law's cushion
American Pokeweed, Inkberry, Silberstein American Pokeweed
In Hindi
Golden ball
Inkberry
In German
goldene Kugel
Inkberry
In French
boule d'or
Inkberry
In Spanish
bola de oro
Inkberry
In Greek
χρυσή μπάλα
Inkberry
In Portuguese
bola de ouro
Inkberry
In Polish
Złota piłka
inkberry
In Latin
Aurea Ball
Inkberry
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Caryophyllales
Aquifoliales
Family
Cactaceae
Phytolaccaceae
Genus
Echinocactus
Ilex
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Cacteae
-
Subfamily
Cactaceae
-
Number of Species
15600
1
27800
👆🏻