When young, this barrel cactus is globe-shaped, elongating only after becoming about a foot in diameter. It has a long, wide, flat central spine, crosshatched with little ridges and curving downward at the end. It also has many white, bristly radial spines.

Desert: Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts of southern Arizona and New Mexico

Height: 4-11 feet

Spines: Red beneath a gray surface layer.

Flowers: Orange, red or yellow bloom in July to September

Fruit: Bright yellow, fleshy

Elevation: 1,000-4,600 feet