VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Ferocactus wislizenii | Barrel Cactus 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Barrel cactus is often consumed by cattle and rabbits if the spines are
removed by a disturbance such as fire [10,14,34].

Mule deer in the Sonoran Desert readily consume barrel cactus fruits.
Mule deer diets consisted of 35.6, 42.5, 5.4, and 1.9 percent barrel
cactus fruits in the fall, winter, spring, and summer, respectively
[24,25].  Collared peccary also consume barrel cactus fruits when they
are available [39].

Barrel cactus seeds are eaten by many birds [38].


PALATABILITY : 
NO-ENTRY


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Barrel cactus fruits are reported to be highly digestible (greater than
50% of dry matter) by mule deer.  The following in vitro dry matter
digestibility (DMD) and nutrient values (%) were reported for barrel
cactus fruits in different seasons on the Santa Rita Experimental Range
in southern Arizona [24]:

               Spring        Summer         Fall        Winter
___________________________________________________________________
DMD             59.5          78.1          60.9         73.5
Protein          7.8           8.6           6.2         10.8
Phosphorous      0.20          0.21          0.18         0.23     
P/Ca             0.65          0.48          0.47         0.61


COVER VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
NO-ENTRY


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
Native Americans have used barrel cactus pulp for making jelly and
cactus candy [19,36].  Barrel cactus is extensively collected and used
in landscaping themes and cactus gardens [38].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Glendening [10] and Brown [4] reported that barrel cactus increased over
17- or 18-year periods, respectively, on desert grasslands of Arizona.
Both studies included treatments that excluded cattle and rabbits (no
grazing), excluded cattle only (light grazing), and contained areas open
to grazing.  The following average numbers of barrel cactus plants under
each treatment were reported by Glendening [10] on the Santa Rita
Experimental Range:

            No grazing        Light grazing         Open
    ________________________________________________________
    1932       0                  0.5                0.5
    1949      30.5               24.0                5.0

Blydenstein [3] stated that there was no significant difference in
frequency of barrel cactus between lightly grazed desert shrub
communities and communities that had been protected from grazing for 50
years.

Barrel cactus populations are negatively affected by urban development
and cactus collection [27].

Related categories for Species: Ferocactus wislizenii | Barrel Cactus