Ferocactus gracilis

It is a cactaceae with a solitary habit, that occasionally may cluster (f. prolifera), which can reach up to three meters in height. Its dark green stem, initially globular, similar to a barrel, becomes columnar with age. It has tuberculous ribs, on which white downy areoles can be seen. From these areoles spines emerge: yellowish, long and thin radial spines, and very thick reddish central ones, which are twisted and hooked, tangled together. In late spring-summer, it blooms with beautiful reddish funnel-shaped flowers, that form some sort of a ring at the apex of the plant.