Barrel Cactus

NPS Photo

Barrel Cactus

It is a myth that the barrel's juicy interior is a good water source.

The buds were collected in early spring, flowers in late spring, and the yellow fruit in early summer. The seeds were collected, crushed, and mixed with water to make gruel.

The cactus was hollowed out to use as a container to cook food with hot stones. The spines could be set into hard pitch to use as awls, or as needles for pricking tattoo designs.

A slice of the cactus with the spines removed was roasted, wrapped in cloth, and applied to sore places for relief of pain.