Fishhook Barrel Cactus Fun Facts!

- largest cacti in the American Southwest
- there are up to 25 vertical ribs
- flowers on old growth, flowers are up to 3 inches wide and grow in a ring around the top
- fruits can be eaten
- easily grown from seeds
- one of the most successful and characteristic life forms of the Sonoran desert
- massive but shallow root system
- vault-like water storing plant body with the greatest volume to surface ratio possible
- grows extremely slow to minimizes energy demand and production of photosythate,
lowering amount of energy needed for energy and water in reproduction
- a four year old barrel can be 3 inches high and 2.5 inches wide
- can live up to 130 years old
- Fruits lacking in sweet moist pulp (in contrast to prickly pear, pincushion and saguaro)
to minimize water use
- grows in rather poor locations with long periods between rains, surrounding plant cover
is low so competition is of little significance
- one large barrel survived 6 years after it was taken out of the ground - used 24 lbs.
of stored water