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E. visnaga
This is the largest of all barrel cacti,
 

Echinocactus visnaga is one of the most massive of cacti, up to 1 meter across and 2 - 3 meters high. They can began enormous and a single plant of this species will sometimes weigh a ton. It can dominate a landscape because of its large size and impressive bulk. The plants (which have had several other names assigned to them, including Echinocactus ingens and Echinocactus grandis) often have a somewhat sway-backed, saddle-shaped apex, densely covered in white wool, where their yellow flowers emerge. 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 travellers can use the plant as a compass.

Description: it is a slowly growing massive barrel cactus, usually solitary, that grows huge in habitat ( up to 2,7 m tall, 1,5 m wide). It could live more than a hundred years. The stem is grey-blue ± tuberculate and nice when small, whilst large plants are heavily ribbed with numerous areoles, forming a continuous line. Spines are black.
Flowers:  from end of spring to summer, only on larger mature specimens receiving enough full sun. They  are diurnal,  vivid yellow.

Note: The juvenile Echinocactus look very different from the mature specimens. In fact like the other Echinocactus and Ferocactus seedlings, the rib structure is not yet apparent, and they have pronounced tubercles.   
 

Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of Echinocactus platyacanthus.

• Echinocactus platyacanthus
• Echinocactus ingens ( = platyacanthus)
• Echinocactus visnaga ( = platyacanthus)

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Echinocactus visnaga Hook.

Scientific Name: Echinocactus platyacanthus Link et Otto 1827

The "Visnaga" or "Monster Cactus", is today referred to E. platyacanthus

Distribution:  ranges over much of northeast and central Mexico.

Vernacular Names: Biznaga Gigante, Biznaga de Dulce; Giant Viznaga, monster cactus  & Large Barrel

Synonyms:

• Echinocactus platyacanthus
• Echinocactus ingens
• Echinocactus karwinskii
• Echinocactus helophorus
• Echinocactus palmeri

Traditional uses:

1. This plant is used to prepare a traditional candy, the pith is boiled with sugar to produce a popular sweet called “dulce de biznaga” or "acitrón". In this case the over collection of wild plants for making cactus candy is the major threat to the survival of this species.
2. This plants were also used by indigenous peoples of Mexico in many ways, for example the woolly hairs this plant produces have been used as filling fibres and for weaving.
3. The spines are used by the Mexicans as toothpicks. It has been estimated that a single plant may bear upwards of 50,000 spines.

Culture: Frost tender but resistant to -4°C for short periods.  Cold hardiness increases with improved drainage, so keep plants as dry as possible in winter. They grow best in well-drained soil and a position in full sun, which will help maintain the lustre of the spines and longevity of the flowers. Provide the plant with extremely well-drained soils, as the plants are subject to crown and soft rot if they remain too moist.  Besides, they perform wonderfully in containers; Container media should be coarse as well. Young plants are prone to mealy bug and red spider mite. Propagate from seed.

All the information and photos in cactus art file are now available also in the new the Enciclopedia of Cacti. We hope you find this new site informative and useful.