Cactus · Sonoran native
Compass Barrel Cactus
Ferocactus cylindraceus · Cactaceae
Also called: California Barrel Cactus, Desert Barrel Cactus, Miner's Compass
Compass Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus cylindraceus) is a very low-water cactus native to the Sonoran Desert region well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun, with a slow growth rate.
Compass Barrel Cactus at a glance
- Water use
- Very Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun
- Mature size
- 3-6 ft H (occasionally to 8-10 ft on old plants) x 12-24 in W
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Bloom
- Yellow, often with reddish or orange tints, Spring to early summer (April-June), sometimes again after summer rains
- Cold hardiness
- Hardy to about 10-15 F; USDA zones 8b-11
- Soil
- Sharply drained rocky, gravelly desert soils; common on rocky slopes, canyon walls, and bajadas. Demands excellent drainage.
- Native range
- Sonoran and Mojave Deserts of western Arizona, southeastern California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah, and Baja California/Sonora, Mexico
- Best used as
- Accent/specimen, Rock and cactus gardens, Native/desert landscapes, Slope and wildlife plantings
- Wildlife
- Flowers attract native bees and other pollinators; fruit and seeds eaten by birds and small mammals; provides minor cover.
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic; dense, often reddish, hooked and curved spines cause mechanical injury only.
How to grow Compass Barrel Cactus in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
None needed once established. Water young plants deeply but rarely during the warm season only; keep dry in winter to avoid rot.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Not needed; avoid fertilizer.
Pruning & care
None; remove only dead or rotted tissue.
Notes
Accepted name is Ferocactus cylindraceus (synonym F. acanthodes). 'Compass barrel' refers to the tendency of older plants to lean toward the south/southwest, where the sunny side grows faster. Typically more cylindrical and densely red-spined than the fishhook barrel, and favors rockier, often more western/Mojave-influenced sites. Excellent drainage is critical in Tucson landscapes.
Sources: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum; University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; Jepson eFlora / SEINet (nomenclature); AMWUA 'Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert'