Coast barrel cactus is a ± globose cactus, generally wider than tall, with 13-20 ribs emblazoned with groups of rigid spines.  The 3-4 stout central spines of each group are brown or reddish becoming gray or yellow, flattened, slightly curved, and from 1" to 2" long.  The radial spines, 10-20 in number, are shorter, acicular and unequal in length.  The flowers are yellow-green to reddish, each petal with a faint reddish stripe. Coast barrel cactus may be found in sandy or rocky areas and on dry hills in coastal sage scrub and valley grassland, mostly from San Diego County to northwest Baja, and its blooming period is from May to June.

Click here for Latin name derivations: 1) Ferocactus 2) viridescens.
Pronunciation: feer-oh-KAK-tus vir-id-ES-ens.
Click here for Botanical Term Meanings.