Common Name: Compass Barrel Cactus

General Information

Ferocactus wislizeni is a spiny, succulent, evergreen, barrel cactus, producing a single, globose to columnar stem that is usually around 19 - 100cm tall, though can reach 300cm and 20 - 65cm in diameter, exceptionally to 100cm. The stems of older plants usually lean to the south[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use a s a food and dye. It has in the past been made into cactus candy and sold locally. The plant is often grown as an ornamental.
Ferocactus wislizeni has experience an extensive loss of lowland habitat within its range over the last three generations (generation length between 20 to 50 years), resulting in a population decline of at least 30%. The plant is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

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Range

Southwest N. America - Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and northern Mexico (Sonora, Chihuahua)

Habitat

Desert scrub, grasslands, south-facing slopes in lower edges of oak woodlands, flats, bajadas, mountainsides, usually growing in relatively deep soils of limestone and igneous origin; at elevations from 100 - 1,600 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Vulnerable
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Perennial
Height	0.80 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 stems of this species commonly lean towards the south, hence its common name, 'compass barrel'. Eventually the stems fall to the ground from their own weight, thereby uprooting themselves[].
The flowers are highly fragrant[].

Edible Uses

Fruit[]. Very acidic[]. The bright yellow, oblong, fruit is around 35 - 60mm long and 18 - 40cm in diameter[, ].

Seed[, ]. Ground into a powder and used to make a mush or as a flour[, ]. The seeds are rich in oil and protein, and can be ground into an oily paste[].

Stem[]. It is said to taste like a cross between a potato and a cucumber[]. The pulp of the plant is cut into strips and boiled or baked[, ]. It is used to make a candy[].
A sweet dish is made by some native peoples. It is prepared by removing the top of the plant and the spines, then cutting the cactus into large slices, These slices were carried home and cut into small pieces, like potatoes, and, while fresh, were placed on top of dry mesquite beans in a pot with a little water and slowly boiled for a long time[].

The cooked buds and flowers have a flavour somewhat like that of Brussels sprouts. Sometimes the buds were eaten fresh, although they are bitter unless cooked[].

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[]

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

A yellow pigmentis obtained from the flowers by cooking them until they become foamy; sugar or honey and white ashes are added, and the mixture is used as a face paint[].

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 -