Ferocactus horridus grow and care – cactus of the genus Ferocactus also known as Glaucous barrel cactus, Ferocactus horridus perennial evergreen used as ornamental plant and it’s drought tolerant, can grow in desert, mediterranean, subtropics climate and growing in hardiness zone 10b-12a and with the right care can grow in hardiness zone 10a.
Stem color green and can be also red, the shape is round to oval spines cover the angles of the stem.
What is the best way to start growing?
Plant / Seed / Vegetative reproduction
How to propagate: Daughter plants mostly need to take care when pull it from the ground you take all the roots, take a plastic spatula or something harder depend the soil and uncover the roots, dig around the plant and better to use air blower machine or wash it with stream (but let it dry after)
Cutting – better to take all the cactus and cut it for pieces or else it’s just looks cut in the middle, cut with sterile knife after this let the cut part to stay on the shade to heal it’s might take few weeks and even months, put it on the soil with support (stick or something that won’t fall) cover lightly and lightly from the side and water it small amount of water.
Is it necessary to graft or use vegetative reproduction? No, but it’s easier to start from cutting that to start from seeds
Difficulties or problems when growing: Spines
Planting season: Spring to summer in hardiness zone 10a, spring to autumn in hardiness zone 10b-11, all the year in hardiness zone 12
How to plant: Main problem it’s the spines get into the skin and it’s hard to get next to cactus, need to relocate the cactus with papers cover enough that the spines won’t get to your hands, to put the soil need to use spoon or small shovel to push and tighten the soil, also possible to do it by hand but don’t squeeze.
Pests and diseases: Snails, slugs
Pruning season: All year
How to prune:
Spines
Size of the plant? 20-50cm, 8-20 inches
Growth speed in optimal condition: Slow growing
Water requirement: Small amount of water, better to let it dry between watering, do not overwater
Light conditions in optimal condition for growing: Full Sun
Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant? No
Growing is also possible in a planter /flowerpot / containers: Yes, container or clay pot that will be 20-50% bigger (not need deep because the root shallow) for good drainage that important use in the bottom of the container with little rocks like: gravel, lava rocks or pebbles, soil should be cactus potting mix, make holes in the container for good drainage, after few years when the roots fill the container or the soil lose viability, need to switch the soil
Blooming information
Bloom season: Spring
General information about the flower Yellow flowers, the flower bloom on top of the stem
