Echinocactus grusonii, commonly known as Golden Barrel Cactus, is an evergreen succulent native to arid and semi-arid regions in central and eastern Mexico. It is characterized by its large, spherical globe shape that can eventually exceed 1 meter (3.3 ft) in height after many years, although it grows slowly. The plant’s appearance changes significantly as it matures; young plants may have a knobbly texture and lack the pronounced ribs seen in mature specimens, which can have up to 35 ribs. The spines are long, straight or slightly curved, and typically yellow, but can occasionally be white. The Golden Barrel Cactus produces small yellow flowers around the crown after about twenty years, mainly in the summer months. These flowers are not particularly showy, but they add interest to the mature plant.

The Golden Barrel Cactus is highly valued for its sculptural form and is often used as an ornamental plant in containers, desert gardens, rockeries, and conservatories. It is also popular in modern garden designs as an architectural accent. This cactus is easy to maintain and relatively fast-growing in warm climates. It requires minimal winter temperatures of 12 °C (53.6 °F) and good drainage, with reduced watering in winter to prevent rot. It is frost hardy to about −8 °C (15 °F) for short periods. In cultivation, it thrives in full sun and is adaptable to very low, low, or medium water conditions, preferring soils with fast drainage. Cultivars with white spines and short spines are also available. Potential problems include root rot due to overwatering, especially in cooler weather.CC BY-SA 4.0