Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Perennial
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Europe, Northern Europe, Western Europe, United Kingdom
North America, Southwestern United States, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean
Types
M. v. brevipetala
M. v. collina
M. v. frozen
M. v. grandiflora
M. v. paui
M. v. verna
M. v. japonica
Astrophytum ornatum, Echinocactus grusonii, Echinocactus grusonii
Number of Varieties
76
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Grassland, Prairies, Suburban areas, Tropical regions
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-712-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
12-10
Sunset Zone
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Mat-forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
7.60 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
20.30 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
-
Lemon yellow
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Tiny
Succulent
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
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Never Over-water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water more in summer
Do not water frequently
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads, Requires very little pruning
-
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Fungal Diseases
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
Fine
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Thyroid problems, tuberculosis
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Alpine, Container, Edging, Groundcover, Lawns and Turf, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
MINUARTIA verna
FEROCACTUS
Common Name
Irish Moss
barrel cactus
In Hindi
आयरिश काई
barrel cactus
In German
Irish Moss
Fass-Kaktus-
In French
Irish Moss
Barrel cactus
In Spanish
musgo de irlanda
biznaga
In Greek
Irish Moss
βαρέλι κάκτος
In Portuguese
Moss irlandês
Barrel cactus
In Polish
mech irlandzki
cactus Barrel
In Latin
Irish Moss
cactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Caryophyllaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Minuartia
Ferocactus
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
5010
1
27800
👆🏻