The Huntington Botanical Gardens are home to some extraordinary cacti, explains Joe Clements, a curator of the Huntington's desert garden. The largest cactus on the property (figure A) was added to the garden in 1910, and at that time it weighed 6 tons. The plant remains an exquisite specimen today. Many genuses of cacti are represented throughout the garden. One of them is Opuntia (figure B). This genus of hardy pad-leaf cacti includes chollas and prickly pears. Opuntia blooms in spring and summer and requires full sun and well-drained, slightly alkaline soil. Unlike most cacti, creeping devil (Stenocereus eruca) (figure C) has a prostrate growth habit. Golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) (figure D) is recognized by its prominent ribs and colorful armor. Barrel cactus is among the easiest cacti to cultivate. Plants require full sun and fast-draining soil and should be watered generously but infrequently. Barrel cactus is hardy to 30 degrees and blooms in spring and summer. Native to the southwestern United States and Mexico, it makes a good container plant.
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