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Cottontop cactus (Echinocactus polycephalus)

Description

The stems of Echinocactus polycephalus are sometimes solitary, but more often in clusters of as many as 30, each up to 0.6 m tall. The spines are yellow to red. The fruits are densely woolly, giving the common name "Cotton top cactus". In the past, it was also called "niggerhead cactus. "They have a reputation for being difficult in cultivation, and are rarely seen in cactus collections.

Taxonomic tree

  • Domain: Eukarya

    • Kingdom: Plantae

      • Phylum: Magnoliophyta

        • Class: Magnoliopsida

          • Order: Caryophyllales

            • Family: Cactaceae

              • Genus: Echinocactus