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What is That Cylindrical Bulbous Netted Cactus – Boy is it Cool!

by admin
If you have ever done much walking in the desert then no doubt you have come across one of the coolest looking cacti in the entire cactus family. Some Home cucumber net stores sell them also and folks love these engineering natural wonders, they look like a bulb and have stringers around them criss-crossing like a perfectly mathematically designed net, they are truly amazing and they definitely turn heads.

In fact, if you find one and plant it in your yard everyone at the BBQ party will ask you about it, especially a full-grown adult plant like this. But be careful because in many states it is illegal to grab one and re-plant it and growers must get special permission and permits to even sell them. They are a protected species in several Western States.

The official scientific name of this perfectly evolved cactus is the FERROCACTUS and it is a member of the cactaceae family. You will find them growing in elevations under 5,000 feet and in sandy or gravel like soil, soil that is aerated with good drainage. It is obvious that this is one plant that can protect itself and it does not need any help from rules and regulations from mankind.

Amazingly enough, this plant can grow in climates of little rainfall to absolutely none at all, it’s the perfect desert plant and large predators will not bother to come near it due to its natural barbs. There are about 28 species of this plant and some grow huge, the largest I ever saw was easily 10-foot tall, but mostly you will see them as about 1 foot to 18-inches in diameter and 1-3 foot high.

When you see one you will be amazed. It is probably the coolest plant in the entire South Western Deserts. If you go looking for one, take a camera, not a shovel, as it is a protected plant species.