The cactus can get 3 feet high and nearly as wide -- truly barrel sized. Although drought tolerant, regular watering will spur faster growth, said Shelly Jensen of Worldwide Exotics Nursery.

The golden barrel cactus reaches flowering maturity at about 20 years old, when small yellow flowers appear on the top, like a crown. See the beauty of the golden barrel cactus in the Desert Biome ...

Siting: Golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) can thrive in hot, dry landscapes but is native to coastal Mexico, so it doesn’t mind cool, misty conditions. It is hardy to about 20 degrees.