Ferocactus fordii is a species of succulent plant in the family Cactaceae, commonly known as Ford's barrel cactus, endemic to the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico. It is spherical, growing to in diameter, with whitish-grey radial spines and solitary flowers of a deep rose pink, in diameter.
Ferocactus fordii var. fordii is a relatively small in stature barrel cactus that is usually less than tall. It is characterized by simple, depressed globose to short-cylindric stems with 21 ribs. Each areole has around 21 spines, with 4 stout, flattened, and gray-colored central spines arranged in the pattern of a cross. The flowers are orchid to rose purple and appear from March to April, and mature into oval fruits that are pink to yellow.
Undescribed
Plants sometimes assigned to Ferocactus chrysacanthus from Isla Natividad, which is located midway between the F. c. ssp. chrysacanthus on Cedros Island and the subspecies grandiflorus of the VizcaÃÂno Peninsula, are in fact Ferocactus fordii because of their distinctly purple flowers.
Ferocactus fordii is endemic to the Baja California Peninsula and its two constituent states in Mexico, and is found along the Pacific Coast. It occurs from the vicinity of San QuintÃÂn, Baja California to the town of Guerrero Negro on the VizcaÃÂno Peninsula of far northern Baja California Sur, and is also on Isla San MartÃÂn and Isla Natividad. When var. grandiflorus is included, it ranges further south to BahÃÂa Tortugas and Punta Abreojos.
In cultivation it requires the protection of glass.