Common Name:

General Information

Ferocactus emoryi is a spiny, succulent, evergreen, barrel cactus, producing a single, globose to cylindrical stem that can range from 60 - 250cm tall and 30 - 100cm or more in diameter[].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food, dye and medicine. It is grown as an ornamental[].
Ferocactus emoryi is widespread, with no evidence of systematic decline, and occurs in several protected areas. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[].

Known Hazards

Juice from Ferocactis emoryi is considered by some native people to be highly toxic, and presumably stem tissue or liquid of that species would not be ingested, at least not uncooked[].

Botanical References

,

Range

Southwest N. America - Arizona, northwest Mexico (Sonora, Baja California Sur)

Habitat

Rocky hills and sandy or rocky flats, (including wash margins, alluvial fans, and mesas), often on limestone; at elevations from sea level to 1,200 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Perennial
Height	1.50 m
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

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[].
The flowers are highly fragrant[].

Edible Uses

Some parts of the plant used to be eaten[]. No more details

The obovoid to oblong fruits are up to 5cmlong[]. This report does not say the fruits are edible.

The liquid obtained by crushing the pulp inside the stem can be used as an emergency source of fluid[, , ]. It is said to be at least refreshing, though unpleasant and slimy to the taste[].
Juice from Ferocactis emoryi is considered by some native people to be highly toxic, and presumably stem tissue or liquid of that species would not be ingested, at least not uncooked[].

Medicinal

Pieces of the plant are salted and roasted to extract juices that are used to wash sore areas[].

Other Uses

A deep rose-coloured face paint is obtained from the young, newly emerging central spines of the plant. These spines are pulled from the plant and chewed at the base; the juice obtained is then dabbed on the cheeks[].

We have no further specific information for this species, but members of this genus are a valuable resource in the dry regions where they are native, and they are often utilised by native peoples. These uses are likely to include:-
The plants have been used as cooking vessels. The interior is scooped out and mashed, and the liquid thus obtained replaced in the cavity and heated with hot stones, after which food is placed in the liquid and cooked[].
Several species develop tough spines and, after straightening out the tips and reducing the thicker part, these can be used as toothpicks and needles for knitting stockings etc[].

Propagation

Seed -