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Ferocactus glaucescens

Accession Count: 4
Common Name: blue barrel cactus
Family Name: Cactaceae
Botanical Name: Ferocactus glaucescens
Synonyms:
Botanical Synonyms: Echinocactus glaucescens, Ferocactus pfeifferi
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics: Ferocactus glaucescens is a slow-growing globular cactus that grows up to two feet tall and wide. As the cactus matures, multiple heads can be produced, to form a thick mound (1). 11-15 ribs are present, with 6-7 radials, and rarely one, if any, central spines (2). Thick, whitish-gray to yellow spines are distributed throughout the plant, and the flesh is a greenish-blue color (1). From spring to late summer, funnel-shaped, yellow flowers emerge at the cacti’s crown, followed by round white fruits (1, 3).
Compound: Fer gla
Geographic Origin: Mexico
Ecozone Origin:
Biome Origin:
Natural History: Ferocactus glaucescens is native to the limestone hills of Hidalgo, Mexico, and has received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit for its outstanding use as a garden plant (4). 
The cactus was originally named Echinocactus glaucescens by Augustin Pyramus de Candollle, in 1828 (5). The current accepted name, Ferocactus glaucescens, was first used in 1922 by the botanists Nathaniel Lord Britton and Joseph Nelson Rose (6). However, in 1961, the name was changed to Ferocactus pfeiffer by Curt Backeberg (7), for the German Botanist Louis Karl Georg Pfeiffer (8). It is unknown why the accepted name was later chosen to be Ferocactus glaucescens, and not Ferocactus pfeiffer, but this was likely to keep the original epithet. 
The genus, Ferocactus, is named for the Latin ferox, meaning ferocious – in reference to the considerable spines on included cacti (8). Following, the specific epithet glaucescens is a Latin term meaning light sea green, for the color of the cacti’s flesh (9).
Cultivation Notes: F. glaucescens thrives in a desert climate with direct sun to partial shade, and well-draining soil (3, 1). Although drought-resistant, provide additional irrigation during hot, dry summers, especially if kept outside (1). However, avoid wetting above the soil line when kept in direct sunlight, to avoid burning the surface (3). Propagation is easily possible through seeds (1), or by removing basal-shoots (pups) from the mother plant (10).
Ethnobotany: Ferocactus glaucescens has been used for many purposes. The fruit can be consumed raw or cooked, and the flowers boiled, while the pulp has been used to make cactus candy. F. glaucescens has been used as a cooking pot by Native American tribes, by hollowing the cactus, and inserting hot stones and food. In addition, the spines have been used as awls, in tattooing, and to create needles (11). 
F. glaucescens is considered a medicinal plant, being a rich source of polyphenols - beneficial chemicals that have been known to improve digestion, brain function, and blood sugar, as well as provide protection against numerous ailments, including cancer (12). The polyphenols within F. glaucescens demonstrate very strong antiproliferative activity against human cancers, specifically HeLa and Jurkat cancer cells. Additionally, F. glaucescens possesses stronger antibacterial properties than three other species of Ferocactus, as well as good antifungal properties (12).
Height: 11 - 15 feet
Width: 11 - 15 feet
Growth Rate: Slow Growing
Grow Season:
Flower Season: Spring
Color: White
Function: Screen
Spread: Non-spreading
Allergen: Allergenic
Invasive: Benign
Toxicity: Benign
Hardy: Hardy
Water Use: Moderate Water Use
Citations:
1. Horticulture Unlimited Inc. Retrieved April 28th, 2020.
2. World of Succulents. Retrieved April 28th, 2020.
3. Gardening Know How. Retrieved April 28th, 2020.
4. Rare Cactus. Retrieved April 28th, 2020.
5. Echinocactus glaucescens DC., Tropicos. Retrieved April 28th, 2020.
6. Ferocactus glaucescens (DC.) Britton & Rose, Tropicos. Retrieved April 28th, 2020.
7. Ferocactus pfeifferi (Zucc.) Backeb, Tropicos. Retrieved April 28th, 2020.
8. Quattrocchi, U. (1999). CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names, Taylor & Francis US.
9. Lewis, D. & Miles, C.A. (2007). Farming Bamboo, Lulu.com.
10. Aqua-Fish.net. Retrieved April 28th, 2020.
11. DesertUSA. Retrieved April 28th, 2020.
12. Researchgate. Retrieved April 28th, 2020.
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Ferocactus glaucescens