Echinocactus platyacanthus | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Caryophyllales |
Family: | Cactaceae |
Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
Genus: | Echinocactus |
Species: | E. platyacanthus
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Binomial name | |
Echinocactus platyacanthus |
Echinocactus platyacanthus, also known as the giant barrel cactus, golden barrel cactus, giant viznaga, or biznaga de dulce,[2] Its Nahuatl (Aztec) name is Huitzli nahual. It is a species of cactus (family Cactaceae). It is native to central Mexico in the Chihuahuan Desert.[1] This species is the largest of the barrel cacti. In Mexico the hairs are often used for weaving; the acitrón, a traditional Mexican candy, is produced by boiling the pith.