Common Name:

General Information

Echinocactus polycephalus is a very spiny, evergreen, succulent barrel cactus that branches from the base to form compact mounds of usually 2 - 50 stems, though one old specimen examined had in excess of 150 stems. Individual stems are spherical to cylindrical, around 15 - 40cm tall and 15 - 30cm in diameter; plants can form clumps 50 - 100cm wide, exceptionall to 200cm[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is often grown as an ornamental.
Echinocactus polycephalus has a large range, and even though it is locally affected by urbanization and
illegal collection for horticulture, most of the subpopulations are abundant. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Southwestern N. America - southern California, southern Nevada, Utah, Arizona, northern Mexico (Sonora)

Habitat

Rocky or gravelly soils of dry, hot slopes and sometimes clay soils of the valleys. in deserts and also on sandy soils.; at elevations from sea level to 1,500 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	0.30 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Echinocactus polycephalus is confined to some of the hottest, driest areas of the Sonoran and Mohave Deserts in northwestern Sonora, southwestern Arizona, southern Nevada, and southeastern California[]. Attempts to cultivate this species in Tucson, Arizona fail, probably due to too much rainfall (Tuscon recieves around 300mm per year)[].
In cultivation, Cactus plants generally will not succeed in moist climates. They usually require a sunny position in a well-drained, circumneutral soil and to be kept more or less dry in the dormant season[].

Edible Uses

Sliced pieces of the stems have been eaten, often boiled or pit-baked[]. The stems have been made into a cactus candy[].

Flower buds[].

Seeds[].

Species of Echinocactus can be used as an emergency source of water. The stem is removed from the plant and the spines burnt off. It is then cut open and the cortex pounded with a rock or sharp stick until the center is mashed and liquid collects in the cavity. Alternatively, moisture can be squeezed out of the pulp and into a container by hand. The liquid is said to be refreshing, though unpleasant and slimy to the taste[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The spines are used to make awls to use in basketmaking[, ].

Propagation

Seed -