All the information and photos in cactus art file are now available also in the new the Enciclopedia of Cacti. We hope you find this new site informative and useful.

F. fordii is a miniature "Barrel Cactus" that flowers at a smaller size than most Ferocacti. The plant in the photo above is only 7 cm in diameter but is just forming the first flowers buds.

Description: Single stemmed small barrel cactus although it does offset occasionally. Similar but a bit smaller than F. viridescens.
Stem: Flattened globular slowly becoming shortly elongated, 40 cm tall, 30 cm in diameter (but usually less than 20 cm in diameter and slightly more tall), depressed in the centre. Epidermis grey-green.
Ribs: ± 21 ribs.
Central spines: 4, 2-4 cm long, of which the lowermost longer, ringed, wide, flattened and bent downward, grey-red to brownish.
Radial spines: Approx 15 whitish.
Flowers: Diurnal, purple to pale pink (or orange) up to 4 cm long and whide. Perianth segments linear-lanceolate.
Blooming season: Summer.

NOTE: The plants in circulation and labelled F. fordii are now named var. borealis, which means northerly. To see the proper F. Fordii is quite a sight since it has much longer spines. It is not (or very rare) in cultivation and it is tough to grow when young.  F. fordii v. borealis occurs one third of the way down the Baja peninsula, near the coast and near the road. It is fully grown at 20 cm in diameter. The real F. fordii proper has much longer central spines.
F. fordii var. grandiflorus is larger and can attains up to 40 cm of eight at maturity.
 

Heavy grey-red spines with four centrals (of which one hooked) and several spreading radials

If you only want to grow one ferocactus, it must be Ferocactus fordii this early blooming species will produce its pretty magenta flowers in a 10-15 cm pot.

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Origin: Mexico (Pacific coast of Baja California: San Bartolomé)

Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 2.

Synonyms:  Echinocactus fordii  Orcutt 1922
 

A mature cultivated specimen.

Some beautiful hybrids have been created between the monotypic genus Leuchtenbergia  and some member of the Ferocactus genus. This hybrid are known with the name Ferobergia. One the best and free flowering Ferobergia is the one involving as mother plant F. fordii

◄ Left: Ferobergia PRI-FOR  (Leuchtenbergia principis x Ferocactus fordii)

Cultivation: Slow growing to start but does well under cultivation. Suited for any rich, well drained soil in full sun throughout the year.   Water during the aestival growth cycle (this plant need plenty of water) But needs to be avoided wetting the bodies of these plants while they are in sunlight. A wet cactus in the sun light can cause sun burning which can lead to scares or even fungal infections and death.  In winter keep completely dry at 10°C, but can tolerate sporadic light frost.  Plant in good conditions will start to  bloom when reach the diameter of only 7-8 cm.

Propagation: Seeds are the only way of reproducing.

All the information and photos in cactus art file are now available also in the new the Enciclopedia of Cacti. We hope you find this new site informative and useful.