Echinocactus sp.
Clustered barrel cactus, Clustered Barrel Cactus
Family: Cactaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Echinocactus sp. (Clustered barrel cactus) is a native California perennial in the Cactaceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Homalocephala: Echinocactus has dense wool covering entire crown; Homalocephala has wool only at areoles.; vs Ferocactus: Echinocactus has woolly cap hiding stem surface; Ferocactus has hairless crown with only areole wool.; vs Kroenleinia: Echinocactus has thick crosswise-ridged spines; Kroenleinia has thin smooth or hooked spines.; vs Carnegiea: Echinocactus is barrel-shaped under 2 feet; Carnegiea is tree-sized columnar over 10 feet.; vs Sclerocactus: Echinocactus has thick ridged spines and woolly crown; Sclerocactus has smooth spines and hard bare crown.
Frequently asked questions
Is Echinocactus sp. native to California?
Yes. Echinocactus sp. is native to California (recorded as native).
What plant family does Echinocactus sp. belong to?
Echinocactus sp. is in the Cactaceae family, genus Echinocactus.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.