Ferocactus LATISPINUS

Ferocactus LATISPINUS - Broad-spined barrel cactus, Flat-spined barrel cactus, Crow's claw cactus, Ferocactus latispinus.

Ferocactus is a genus of cacti in the family Cactaceae, comprising about 30 species native to arid regions of North and Central America.

The genus is represented by large spherical and barrel-shaped cacti with prominent ribs and large areoles. The main distinction is stout spines, often colored red, yellow, or white. The spines are rigid, straight, or hooked. Many species exhibit a tendency to grow taller with age, transitioning into a columnar form.

Flowering occurs in summer. The flowers are large, usually reddish, yellow, or pink, forming at the top of the plant. The fruits are oblong, fleshy, and become dry upon ripening. The seeds are small, black or brown, rounded with a glossy surface.

The broad-spined barrel cactus is a slightly flattened succulent of cylindrical or spherical shape, 25-40 cm (10-16 in) wide, and up to 40 cm (16 in) long. The surface is greenish-blue, dense, and rough. The plant has 15-25 prominent ribs with fairly large areoles from which thick reddish spines up to 8 cm (3.1 in) long grow. The longest spines hook backward. The flowers are large, tubular, bright pink or red, up to 5 cm (2 in) long.

Seeds are sown superficially on a moistened mineral substrate with the addition of fine sand. The sowings are covered with a transparent dome. Daily ventilation and maintaining a temperature in the range of 22-26 °C (72-79 °F) are required.

Seedlings appear in 7-20 days. In rare cases, germination is delayed up to 30-40 days. Pricking out is carried out after the first spines appear, with the seedlings being carefully transplanted into individual containers and kept in diffused light.

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Ferocactus is successfully grown at home. It is placed in a bright, sunny spot, preferably a south window or a greenhouse. When grown in an apartment, maximum illumination and regular ventilation are provided.

In summer, a temperature of 22-30 °C (72-86 °F) is maintained; in winter, keeping at 8-12 °C (46-54 °F) under conditions of complete dormancy is preferable. Watering is carried out after the soil has completely dried out, using soft water. In the cold period, watering is stopped to avoid rotting.

A coarse-grained mineral substrate with the addition of sand, crushed brick, and perlite is used. Preference is given to deep pots with mandatory drainage. Repotting is carried out in spring as needed. During the growing season, mineral fertilizers for cacti are applied once every 3-4 weeks. From mid-autumn, fertilizing is discontinued. Nitrogen fertilizers are not used.

Shaping and pruning are not performed. Propagation is carried out primarily by seeds, as the plant grows slowly and rarely produces offsets. The crop is recommended for experienced and novice cactus growers.