What Is the Golden Barrel Cactus? A Detailed Look at This Plant
The golden barrel cactus is a type of barrel cactus. It has a very long lifespan and is easy to cultivate. Let's take a closer look at this plant.
The golden barrel cactus, also known as the yellow-spined golden barrel cactus, is a very popular type of barrel cactus. Its stem is round and spherical, either solitary or forming clumps, reaching 1.3 m in height and 80 cm or more in diameter. The top of the globe is densely covered in golden-yellow woolly hairs. Several major varieties are also cultivated, such as the white-spined golden barrel cactus, the wild-spined golden barrel cactus, and the crested golden barrel cactus. The wild golden barrel cactus is an extremely endangered rare plant. It is the representative of the strong-spined cactus group. The golden barrel cactus has very large areoles densely set with hard spines; the spines are golden-yellow, later turning brown, 3 cm long, with 3-5 central spines that are thicker and slightly curved. It flowers from June to October, with flowers borne among the woolly hairs at the top of the globe, and the floral tube is covered in pointed scales.
This species is one of the most charismatic plants among the cacti. It has a plump, jade-green globe and stiff golden-yellow hard spines. The areoles are very large and densely set with hard spines; the spines are golden-yellow, later turning brown, with 8-10 radial spines, 3 cm long, and 3-5 central spines that are thicker, slightly curved, and 5 cm long. In summer it should be shaded appropriately, but not too heavily, otherwise the globe will become elongated and lose its ornamental value. The suitable growing temperature is 25°C during the day and around 10-13°C at night. It flowers from June to October, with flowers borne among the woolly hairs at the top of the globe, bell-shaped, 4-6 cm, yellow, and the floral tube covered in pointed scales. The globe can reach about 1 m in diameter, and a ring of golden-yellow down grows densely at the top. The golden barrel cactus likes plenty of light and needs at least 6 hours of direct sunlight every day.
Why the Golden Barrel Cactus Does Not Bloom
The golden barrel cactus is a large, strong-spined barrel cactus, and its globe can reach 1 m in diameter. For an ordinary potted golden barrel cactus, getting it to bloom is still difficult.
1. A golden barrel cactus generally only blooms at 20 to 30 years of age. If it does not bloom, it may be because the cactus is too young. In addition, most people grow golden barrel cacti in pots, and after twenty or thirty years they are already in poor shape.
2. A well-grown golden barrel cactus can reach 70 to 80 cm in globe diameter after twenty years. It is really not suited to pot culture. In a pot, nutrition cannot keep up, and the globe has no room to grow and develop; such a large globe cannot be repotted frequently.
3. The golden barrel cactus needs no less than six hours of light per day. If a potted golden barrel cactus is kept indoors, it can bloom if it is well cared for.
Conclusion: If a golden barrel cactus needs thirty years to mature and bloom, then a small golden barrel cactus adopted now will not bloom; by the time it flowers, both the cactus and its owner will be old. Therefore, a potted golden barrel cactus can hardly be made to bloom, and one can only admire the globe, not the flowers; if kept indoors, the barrel cactus will turn into a "cactus cone," and even the beauty of the globe will be lost.
The Difference Between Barrel Cacti and the Golden Barrel Cactus
Golden barrel cactus: The golden barrel cactus has a jade-green, round and plump globe, with golden-yellow hard spines covering the entire globe, and a ring of golden-yellow down growing densely at the top. The biggest difference between the golden barrel cactus and ordinary barrel cacti is its spines. The golden barrel cactus has very large areoles bearing thick, long, golden-yellow hard spines, and it is the representative of the strong-spined group in the cactus family.
On the market there are varieties such as the yellow-spined golden barrel cactus, white-spined golden barrel cactus, short-spined golden barrel cactus, wild-spined golden barrel cactus, and the large crested form. When buying, we can choose the golden barrel cactus we like based on its spines.
The spines of the yellow-spined golden barrel cactus are golden-yellow, hard and long; the white-spined golden barrel cactus has white hard spines; the spines of the wild-spined golden barrel cactus grow in irregular curves, becoming denser toward the top of the globe; the large crested form has thick, long hard spines that curve slightly at the tips.
Ordinary barrel cactus: The barrel cactus is a perennial green succulent plant. Its stem can be round or oval, and the globe has vertical ribs with dense spines growing in clusters along the ribs. Different barrel cacti have different spines and bristles, which vary in length, hardness, and thickness. The golden barrel cactus is the representative variety of the strong-spined group.
Summary: If the barrel cactus you bought has a round globe, a ring of down at the top, and very hard spines, then congratulations, that is a golden barrel cactus. I believe that understanding the difference between ordinary barrel cacti and the golden barrel cactus will make it easier for everyone to choose a golden barrel cactus.
The above is the full content of my summary of the relevant introduction to the golden barrel cactus. I hope this article can help everyone. Please also continue to follow us.