Description
Gold cactus (Echinocactus grusonii Hildm.), a perennial succulent in the Cactaceae family, has a shallow yellow-green body with numerous pale yellow woolly spines at the top. The stem is spherical, large, shallow yellow-green, and similarly adorned with many pale yellow woolly spines. The flower is solitary at the tip, yellow, glossy, trumpet-shaped, and blooms in summer.
The gold cactus originates from the deserts of Mexico, where it is found in hot, dry tropical desert regions. It prefers warm, dry, and well-lit conditions, is intolerant of low temperatures, dislikes standing water, and thrives in loose, fertile, lime-containing sandy loam. It can be propagated by seed or by bud grafting. The plant is native to Mexican desert regions.
It loves full sunlight and is best grown in fertile, well-draining sandy loam. During the hot summer months, partial shade should be provided to prevent the body from being scorched by intense light. For cultivation, a mixture of equal parts coarse sand, loam, leaf mold, and a small amount of old wall ash can be used. Adequate sunlight is required, but some shade in summer is advisable. The plant should be kept at winter temperatures of 8–10 °C and kept dry. It grows more rapidly in fertile soil with good air circulation.
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