Coast Barrel Cactus vs devil's-tongue cactus

Ferocactus viridescens compared with Ferocactus latispinus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Coast Barrel Cactus	devil's-tongue cactus
Kingdom same	Plantae (نباتات)	Plantae (نباتات)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (كاسيات البذور)	Magnoliophyta (كاسيات البذور)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (ماغنولانية)	Magnoliopsida (ماغنولانية)
Order same	Caryophyllales (قرنفليات)	Caryophyllales (قرنفليات)
Family same	Cactaceae	Cactaceae
Genus same	Ferocactus	Ferocactus
Species	Ferocactus viridescens	Ferocactus latispinus

Evolutionary Relationship

Coast Barrel Cactus and devil's-tongue cactus share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Ferocactus.

Conservation Status

Coast Barrel Cactus

LC — Least Concern

devil's-tongue cactus

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Coast Barrel Cactus	devil's-tongue cactus
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Coast Barrel Cactus

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

devil's-tongue cactus

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Coast Barrel Cactus

Coast barrel cactus (Ferocactus viridescens) is a stout, ribbed cactus in the family Cactaceae, native to coastal sage scrub and chaparral communities of extreme southern California and northern Baja California, Mexico. It grows on rocky slopes, canyon walls, and coastal bluffs within a few kilometres of the Pacific coast, favouring thin soils and south- or west-facing exposures. This barrel cactus reaches up to 1 metre in height and diameter, bearing dense clusters of stout red or pink spines and yellow to greenish-yellow flowers that bloom in late spring and summer. Fruits are yellow and edible when ripe, historically used as food by Indigenous Kumeyaay people. The coast barrel cactus is threatened by illegal collection for the horticultural trade, urban sprawl around San Diego, and invasive grasses that increase fire frequency in chaparral. It is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, but populations in California are considered vulnerable due to limited range. The species is legally protected under the California Endangered Species Act and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).