Ferocactus gracilis
"Fire Barrel"

     From the Baja Peninsula, Ferocactus gracilis is a wickedly spined barrel known a the "Fire Barrel" for it's bright red spines. It can grow to be about 5 feet tall and 12 inches around. Yellow flowers with a reddish mid stripe are produced in early summer.
     This one is about 4 inches across and planted in my yard where it gets full sun. Hopefully in a couple more years it will be flowering size. Below are some additional pictures of the plant at the Desert Museum and Tucson Botanical Gardens. Note how the spines twist, turn and curl as the plant gets bigger. The one at the Desert Museum is about a foot tall.

A nice potted pair at TBG

In the ground at Desert Museum