Golden Barrel Cactus & Spider Web
Boyce Thompson Arboretum - Arizona State Park
This is a photo of Mature Golden Barrels showing their distinctive clustering habit. Older specimens take o...
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Boyce Thompson Arboretum - Arizona State Park
This is a photo of Mature Golden Barrels showing their distinctive clustering habit. Older specimens take on an oblong shape with age. They also tend to lean to the south or southwest so that the spines can better protect the body of the plant from the harsh desert sun. In fact, desert travelers would use the plant as a compass.
A golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) doesn't really need to bloom to have a commanding presence in the garden. The symmetrically rounded stem is armored down the ridges with clusters of golden yellow spines. A wooly white patch tops older cacti. This is the central growing point and bears the small yellow flowers.
During summer months at Boyce Thompson Arboretum walk slowly and look carefully around the plants, you might just glimpse one of their handsome resident Gila Monsters out foraging in the early morning hours.
Read less
This is a photo of Mature Golden Barrels showing their distinctive clustering habit. Older specimens take on an oblong shape with age. They also tend to lean to the south or southwest so that the spines can better protect the body of the plant from the harsh desert sun. In fact, desert travelers would use the plant as a compass.
A golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) doesn't really need to bloom to have a commanding presence in the garden. The symmetrically rounded stem is armored down the ridges with clusters of golden yellow spines. A wooly white patch tops older cacti. This is the central growing point and bears the small yellow flowers.
During summer months at Boyce Thompson Arboretum walk slowly and look carefully around the plants, you might just glimpse one of their handsome resident Gila Monsters out foraging in the early morning hours.
Read less
Feb, 2015Views
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