Echinocactus

Echinocactus is a genus of cacti in the subfamily Cactoideae.^[1] The generic name derives from the Ancient Greek ἐχῖνος (echînos), meaning "spiny," and cactus. It and Ferocactus are the two genera of barrel cactus. Members of the genus usually have heavy spination and relatively small flowers. The fruits are copiously woolly, and this is one major distinction between Echinocactus and Ferocactus. Propagation is by seed.

Echinocactus
Echinocactus platyacanthus in cultivation
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Cactaceae
Subfamily:	Cactoideae
Tribe:	Cacteae
Genus:	Echinocactus Link & Otto[1]
Type species
Echinocactus platyacanthus
Species
See text
Synonyms
Brittonrosea Speg. Echinofossulocactus Lawr.

Species

As of 2025, the genus includes 3 accepted species out of hundreds of plants having the name.^{[citation needed]}

Image	Scientific name	Common Name	Distribution
	Echinocactus × diabolicus(Halda, L.Vacek & Vaško) Janeba		Mexico (Zacatecas)
	Echinocactus horizonthalonius Lem.	Devil's Head, Silverbell Cactus, Turk's Head CactusGolden Barrel Cactus	southwestern United States and northern Mexico
	Echinocactus platyacanthus Link & Otto	Giant Barrel Cactus	Mexico in the Chihuahuan Desert

Formerly placed here

• Astrophytum asterias (Zucc.) Lem. (as E. asterias Zucc.)
• Aztekium ritteri (Boed.) Boed. (as E. ritteri Boed.)
• Kroenleinia grusonii (Hildm.) Lodé (as E. grusonii Hildm.)
• Ferocactus wislizeni (Engelm.) Britton & Rose (as E. wislizeni Engelm.)
• Lophophora williamsii (Lem. ex Salm-Dyck) J.M.Coult. (as E. williamsii Lem. ex Salm-Dyck)
• Turbinicarpus subterraneus (Backeb.) A.D.Zimm. (as E. subterraneus Backeb.)^[2]

Also see Homalocephala (plant)