Coast Barrel Cactus, Ferrocactus viridescens. People drive all the way out to the desert to see Red Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus acanthodes). Admittedly, those are old specimens that are perhaps 5ft tall or more. However, many people, with their nicely manicured green lawns probably don't realize that those of us that didn't go with turf may have barrel cactus right here in our own back yards. This is a picture of the very attractive Coast Barrel Cactus, a species that is in decline due to, you guessed it, encroachment by development. It has the extreme disfortune of liking the same coastal climate that people do. I, for one, think it is prettier than the Red Barrel Cactus, a cousin, due to its angular, flat red spines.
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