Photographs of Cacti of Big Bend National Park

Ferocacti are most abundant in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona and California, where they grow large, up to 8 feet tall; the only Big Bend species (f. hamatacanthus) is rather smaller, rarely exceeding one foot, but still has the long, thick spines common to all varieties. Older plants branch at the base, but most remain solitary. Flowers are yellow, 2 to 3 inches across, and form in a ring near the apex.

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