Golden Barrel Cactus | Classic Round Golden-Spined Cactus

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Golden Baned Cactus

Echinocactus grusonii

Iconic Perfect Golden Sphere • Extremely Slow-Growing & Long-Lived • Ultimate Desert Specimen Plant

$59.90

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Living Plants

Size, shape and branching naturally vary

Description

The Golden Barrel Cactus is the quintessential, iconic cactus of desert landscapes. It forms a perfect, symmetrical, globe-shaped body densely armed with stiff, golden-yellow spines. Slow-growing and long-lived, it starts spherical and gradually becomes more cylindrical. Its striking geometric form and vibrant color make it a must-have focal point for any cactus collection, rock garden, or minimalist modern landscape.

The classic barrel cactus, forming a perfect, solitary sphere that slowly becomes cylindrical.
Covered in prominent, rigid, golden-yellow spines arranged in distinct ribs.
Extremely slow-growing; a 1-foot diameter specimen can be decades old.
Produces a crown of small yellow flowers on mature plants (over 20 years old).
Drought tolerant but appreciates occasional water in summer; must have perfect drainage.
An unmatched architectural specimen for pots, desert gardens, or as a living sculpture.

Quick Facts

Features:Globular, ribbed deep green body covered with dense, stiff golden-yellow spines. Produces yellow flowers in summer that form a crown-like ring at the top.
Mature Height: 1-4 ft
Mature Width: 1-4 ft
Growth Rate: Slow
Light Needs: Full sun
Key Advantages:Iconic barrel shape,Spectacular golden spines,Extremely drought tolerant,Low maintenance
Landscape Uses: Desert landscapes,Rock gardens,Modern designs,Container gardens
Special Care:Requires excellent drainage (sandy/gravelly soil),Water monthly in summer (deep soak),Protect from frost below 25°F (-4°C)
Seasonal Interest:Flowers: Summer (mature plants only),Form: Year-round sculptural interest

Faqs

Q: How often should I water it?
A: Deeply but infrequently. In summer, water every 2-4 weeks, allowing soil to dry completely. In winter, stop watering entirely to allow dormancy. Overwatering is the fastest way to kill it.

Q: Why is it endangered in the wild?
A: Its native habitat in Mexico was largely flooded by dam construction. Combined with past over-collection, wild populations are critically endangered. Always purchase nursery-propagated plants, never wild-collected ones.

📍 Primary Delivery Area · San Francisco Bay Area

Local delivery across the Bay Area — and beyond.

San Francisco Bay Area is our primary local delivery market. Victory Nursery also serves additional California markets and selected extended delivery areas by arrangement.

Regular local delivery: San Francisco, Peninsula, South Bay, East Bay, Marin, Tracy / Mountain House and surrounding service areas.

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A good garden starts with the right size

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3 Gallon

A versatile size for shrubs, grasses, perennials and young landscape plants. It offers a more established look while remaining easy to move, plant and use in groups.

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15 Gallon

One of the most common larger landscape sizes for trees and shrubs. It offers noticeable height and fullness while still being practical for many residential planting projects.

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24 Gallon

A heavy nursery size with immediate landscape presence. It can often be moved by one person with a nursery dolly or hand truck, but it is generally too heavy for normal hand carrying.

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Gallon describes the container size, not a guaranteed plant height. Individual plants vary. Contact our nursery for current measurements.

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