About Ferocactus emoryi (Engelm.) Orcutt
Ferocactus emoryi is a solitary barrel cactus that grows in a spherical or cylindrical shape. Its body ranges from light green to glaucous, and it can reach 60 to 100 centimeters (24 to 39 inches) in diameter and 2 to 2.5 meters (6 feet 7 inches to 8 feet 2 inches) in height. This cactus has 15 to 30 ribs that bear tubercles, with tubercles being particularly prominent in juvenile plants. Its spines vary in color from white to reddish. The central spine is very sturdy, growing 4 to 10 centimeters long, while the 7 to 12 radial spines can reach up to 6 centimeters in length. The flowers are large, funnel-shaped, and most often red or yellow. They grow up to 7.5 centimeters long, with a diameter of 5 to 7 centimeters. The fruit is ovoid and measures around 5 centimeters long. The subspecies F. e. subsp. rectispinus has been recorded with central spines up to 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) long, and even as long as 32 centimeters (13 inches); these are the longest spines found on any cactus. In the wild, this species occurs in Mexico in the states of Sonora, Sinaloa, and Baja California Sur, and in the United States in Arizona, specifically in Yuma, Pima, and Maricopa counties. Ferocactus emoryi grows in desert scrub, on hillsides and rocky slopes, and in gravely rocky or sandy soils, at elevations between 0 and 1,200 meters (0 to 3,937 feet).
