Golden Barrel Cactus: An Edible, Drought-Tolerant Gem
On our farm, we have a beautiful golden barrel cactus growing right next to agaves like Agave vilmoriniana, Agave literalis, and Agave perryi truncata. While most people recognize golden barrel cactus as a striking ornamental plant, there’s so much more to it.
More Than Just a Garden Ornament
Golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) is popular for its unique shape and vibrant appearance, but did you know it also produces edible fruits and flowers? In Mexico, this cactus has a long history of use by Indigenous communities for a variety of medicinal purposes.
Nearly Lost, Now Making a Comeback
At one point, golden barrel cactus was almost driven to extinction due to overharvesting. Fortunately, a global movement to propagate the species has helped restore its numbers. Today, restoration projects across Mexico are replanting golden barrel cacti in the wild, and their survival is no longer at risk.
Native Roots and Culinary Traditions
Being from Jalisco, Mexico, I see golden barrel cactus everywhere in central Mexico, especially in the states of Querétaro and Hidalgo, where it’s native. Locals love the fruit, using it to make jams and dried candies. Unfortunately, in the United States, most people only know it as a landscaping plant. As a landscaper, I know how profitable propagation can be, but on my farm, I also grow it for its fruit.
Low Water, High Reward
One of the biggest benefits of golden barrel cactus is its drought tolerance—a key concept in xeriscape gardening. Here, I dry-farm my golden barrels with only two or three inches of rain per year. They thrive alongside other drought-tolerant plants like agave, native cacti, and trees.
Golden barrel cactus is also an excellent companion plant, a practice promoted in permaculture and polyculture systems. It produces fruit every year, and I’m even experimenting with distilling the fruit to see if it can be used for wine or spirits in the future.
Tough, Productive, and Sustainable
Golden barrel cactus is incredibly low-maintenance. Its cage of spines protects it from rodents and other animals, and it requires no trimming or special care. With a tradition of thousands of years of use, the golden barrel is truly a crop of the past and future.
There are many species in the Echinocactus genus, native to both Mexico and the United States. On my land, I also grow Echinocactus polycephalus, a native cactus whose fruits are less edible. The golden barrel, on the other hand, produces plenty of sweet, tasty fruit once it matures.
Perfect for California and Beyond
You don’t need to worry about irrigation or stressing local aquifers—just rainwater is enough to grow these cacti, even in the Mojave. If you’re in central, northern, southern, or coastal California, golden barrel cactus will thrive and grow quickly with almost no extra care.
If you’re looking to add a resilient, edible, and beautiful plant to your agave, cactus, or permaculture garden, I highly recommend the golden barrel cactus.