Golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii)

Golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) is a plant of succulent leaves that can grow 10cm – 50cm tall and 50cm – 1.5m wide. In this growing guide we’ll learn the cultivation details and how to plant Golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii).

This plant has several common names including: golden barrel cactus, mother-in-law’s seat or golden ball cactus.

This is a evergreen plant that takes 10-20 years to reach full maturity.

Plant profile

Common name: golden barrel cactus, mother-in-law’s seat, golden ball cactus
Scientific name: Echinocactus grusonii
Plant type: Cactus / Succulent, Conservatory & Greenhouse
Habit: Columnar / Upright
Height: 10cm – 50cm
Spread: 50cm – 1.5m
Foliage: Evergreen
Sunlight: Full Sun
Soil: Loam, Sand
Moisture: Well drained
Other characteristics: Drought resistant, RHS Award of Garden Merit

Seasonal colors

How to plant Golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) – Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Cacti and succulent plants are appreciated for their natural charm, mainly for their leaf shapes, but also in some cases for their colorful flowers in spring and summer.

They should be cultivated in areas that mimic the conditions in which they grow in nature, which are usually exposed places with stony and fast-draining soils.

These characteristics make them to be grown in pots.

How to plant

In this section we will learn how to plant Golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii), know its needs in terms of soil, watering and sun exposure.

Soil

Golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) is a plant that prefers to grow in loam or sand.

• The loam soil is dark, rich in organic matter but balanced in minerals. It offers the best of all worlds, retaining enough water for the plants, but allowing excess moisture to drain away. This is the most desired type of garden soil, perfect for most plants.

• Sandy soil is light, porous and very easy to drain. It is a soil poor in organic matter and nutrients. It is composed of relatively large mineral particles that allow water to drain quickly.

It is not very sensitive to soil acidity or alkalinity and grows well in soils with pH acid, alkaline or neutral.

Regarding drainage, Echinocactus grusonii likes to grow in well drained soil.

Sunlight

Golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) should be grown in full sun places.

Cultivation profiles – Growing Golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) – Emőke Dénes, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons