Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus townsendianus)

Barrel Cactus
Ferocactus townsendianus

A seedling 3 years after germination

Where did you get the seeds from?
That is a very nicely grown plant but it doesn't look at all like a young Fero cylindraceus. It resembles a F. horridus.
That's what a young F. cylindraceus looks in habitat:

Jordi

The seed doesn't help much as it was 'mixed ferocactus species', no specific species named. Xenomorf thought it was f.Cylindraceus, I must say the spines appear more strongly hooked than some of the photos of F.Cylindraceus though the red colour matches.
This photo looks about the same:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/121494/

I'll check with Xenomorf it it could be F.Horridus

Comparing at this same young age...
I think it is Ferocactus peninsulae var. townsendianus (which is now it's own species "F. townsendianus")
Because DMersh's has 7 central spines, the middle central is hooked, but all the thicker central spines have ridges also, which is the same as this photo: http://www.cactus-art.biz/schede/FEROCACTUS/Ferocactus_peninsulae/Ferocactus_peninsulae_towsendianus/Ferocactus_peninsulae_v_towsendianus_450.jpg

Also, they both have the beginnings of 2-4 thinner white radial spines.

Age comparison of F. townsendianus: http://www.cactus-art.biz/schede/FEROCACTUS/Ferocactus_peninsulae/Ferocactus_peninsulae_towsendianus/ferocactus_peninsulae_v_towsendianus.htm

Xeno.

That has to be the one, the photos of the young F.Townsendianus match my plant almost exactly. I wasn't entirely certain about it being F.Cylindraceus due to the nature of the hooks of the main spines, F.Cylindraceus mostly appears to have less strong hooks.
Thanks for drawing attention to this Jordi, and Xeno for confirming the species, a good thing actually as F.Townsendianus looks a really spectacular plant when it gets bigger. I'll get the plantfiles picture moved to the F.Townsendianus entry.
This was the only Ferocactus survivor from the barrel cacti seeds I sowed, (some got cooked) and the others dissapointingly turned out to be E.Grusonii - great cactus but I already have one and they are a bit ubiquitous, it was an extremely vigorous seedling, it left some saguaro seedlings standing that were germinated at the same time.

Thanks

Dave

Xeno,

BTW I also doubt that your photo Dave referred to ... and 2 more of yours (the multi-headed one) in this entry are actually F. cylindraceus.

Jordi

Jordi,
Will you give some links to specifically which ones you are doubting?

F.Cylindraceus, from numerous pictures of it, appears generally not to have very strongly hooked central spines, more sort of curved at the tip. The desert tropicals site states 'curved but not hooked at the tip'
http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Cactaceae/Ferocactus_cylindraeus.html

This one maybe has too strongly hooked central spines?
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/121494/

I'd say its tricky to ID some Ferocacti at the seedling stage as they don't form full characteristic spination (particularly the thin white radial spines) until a bit older.

Xeno,
these are the 3 photos
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/255211/
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/255210/
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/121494/

Jordi

DMersh & Jordi, this one that you cited, was collected in native habitat during a salvage rescue. Somewhere on the fringes of Phoenix city limits. F. cylindraceus is the Only Barrel native to that area.
So there's no doubt that the ID is correct on that one.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/121494/

And if you compare the one I just listed above with the other two links that Jordi cited, you will see the 8 rigid radial spines and the central spines on both. Those two were in a Plant Show of the Central Arizona Cactus And Succulent Society.

Xeno.

Xeno,

"Those two were in a Plant Show of the Central Arizona Cactus And Succulent Society." That doesn't mean at all that the plant has been IDed correctly. :-)
"Phoenix city limits. F. cylindraceus is the Only Barrel native to that area." Don't you mix that up with Fero wislizeni?

Jordi

F. wislizeni is mainly native to the southern area of AZ, we rescued alot of those north and south of Tucson. I don't recall seeing any F. wislizeni around the Phoenix area rescues even though the book says they might be native to central AZ.
Around Tucson we rescued both species, F. wislizeni & F. cylindraceus, Mostly of F. wislizeni though.

Xeno.

this is it a few years on, its grown steadily but fairly slowly, too small to flower yet for a few more years I'd guess.

Those spines appear to be wet which always brings out the colors.
Yep, It's starting to show a more rigorous spine growth. How much direct sunlight does it recieve?