Devil's Tongue Barrel Cactus

Ferocactus latispinus is endemic to central and southern Mexico.

• Found in the states of Puebla, Oaxaca, Tlaxcala, Veracruz (central plateau region), and Guerrero
• Occurs at elevations of approximately 600 to 2,000 meters
• Grows in dry tropical deciduous forest, thorn scrub, and xerophytic vegetation on rocky limestone hillsides
• The species is adapted to a seasonally dry tropical climate with a pronounced dry season lasting 5 to 7 months
• First described by the English botanist Adrian Hardy Haworth in 1824 as Cactus latispinus, later transferred to Ferocactus
• Mexico is the center of diversity for the genus Ferocactus, with the majority of species occurring in the country's arid and semi-arid regions
• Plants in habitat often grow at angles on steep, erosion-prone slopes, with older specimens eventually leaning or becoming prostrate

Ferocactus latispinus is a medium-sized, solitary, globular to barrel-shaped cactus.

Stem:
• Globose when young, becoming broader than tall (depressed-globose to short-barrel-shaped) with age, typically 15 to 25 cm tall and 20 to 40 cm in diameter
• Dark green to grayish-green, often with a slightly glaucous bloom
• Ribs: 13 to 23 (typically 15 to 21), prominent, broad, bluntly angled, separated by narrow grooves
• Areoles large, oval, spaced 1.5 to 3 cm apart, with white to grayish felt when young

Spines:
• Radial spines: 6 to 12 per areole, slender, straight or slightly curved, whitish to pale yellow or brown, 1.5 to 3 cm long, radiating outward
• Central spines: 4 per areole arranged in a cross pattern, the most distinctive feature of the species:
— Upper central spines: 2, straight to slightly curved, reddish-brown, 2 to 4 cm long
— Lower central spine: 1, the signature spine — broad, strongly flattened, distinctly hooked downward, bright red to pinkish-red or horn-colored, 3 to 5 cm long, 3 to 5 mm wide at the base — the "devil's tongue"
— Additional lower central: 1, round in cross-section, hooked, brown, 2 to 3 cm long
• The broad, hooked central spine is the defining characteristic — it is wide enough to be visually conspicuous and curved like a fishhook

Flowers:
• Funnel-shaped, pinkish-purple to reddish-violet with darker midstripe on petals, 2 to 4 cm long and 2 to 3.5 cm in diameter
• Diurnal, opening during the day
• Produced in a ring around the woolly crown apex, often several opening simultaneously
• Pericarpel and floral tube covered with small, rounded scales with minute felt
• Stamens numerous, yellow; style pinkish to white; stigma lobes 10 to 14, yellowish
• Blooms in late summer to autumn

Fruit:
• Ellipsoid to club-shaped, greenish to yellowish-green, 1.5 to 2.5 cm long
• Thin, fleshy, eventually becoming dry and splitting
• Seeds small, brown, pitted

Ferocactus latispinus plays an important ecological role in the dry tropical forests of central Mexico.

• The water-storing stems serve as an emergency moisture source for wildlife during extended drought periods, with javelinas, deer, and rodents sometimes breaking open the stems to access the watery pulp
• Flowers are pollinated by bees, especially cactus-specialist bees in the genus Lithurge, and by small beetles
• Fruits are consumed by birds and small mammals that disperse the seeds across the rocky landscape
• The broad, hooked central spines can entangle in the fur or skin of passing animals, potentially aiding in limited vegetative dispersal of detached stem segments
• The species is adapted to survive intense dry-season fires by virtue of its high water content and the protective spination that shields the epidermis
• Grows in association with other Mexican dry-forest cacti including various Opuntia, Stenocereus, and Mammillaria species

Ferocactus latispinus requires careful handling due to its dangerous hooked spines but is otherwise straightforward to cultivate.

Light:
• Thrives in full sun to very bright light — the more sun, the better the spine development and coloration
• Can be grown in partial shade but spines will be weaker and the plant may become elongated
• The red coloration of the central spines is most vivid in strong light

Soil:
• Requires a very well-draining, mineral-rich cactus mix
• A blend of 30 percent potting soil with 70 percent coarse sand, gravel, or decomposed granite is ideal
• Tolerates slightly alkaline conditions (pH 6.5 to 8.0), reflecting the limestone substrates of its native habitat

Water:
• Water moderately during the growing season, allowing the soil to dry completely between waterings
• Very drought-tolerant once established — it is better to underwater than overwater
• Keep completely dry during winter dormancy

Temperature:
• Hardy to approximately -4°C for brief periods if kept dry
• Prefers warm conditions: 20 to 32°C in summer
• A hot, dry summer promotes the best spine development

Handling:
• EXTREMELY IMPORTANT: Handle with great care — the hooked central spines can easily pierce skin and are very difficult to remove once embedded
• Use thick gloves, folded newspaper, or foam padding when repotting
• Never attempt to handle this species with bare hands

Potting:
• Use heavy clay or ceramic pots to prevent toppling as the plant grows broad and heavy
• Repot infrequently — every 3 to 4 years is sufficient
• Ensure excellent drainage holes in the pot

Propagation:
• Grown exclusively from seed, as the species does not produce offsets
• Seeds germinate in 1 to 3 weeks at warm temperatures (25 to 30°C)