My Favorite Plant

           My favorite plant is the barrel cactus. The first time I saw a barrel cactus was when my family took a vacation to Arizona. I loved it there, because of all the different types of plants, trees, and cacti I saw there. The barrel cactus is part of two genera called Echinocactus and Ferocactus. They are found in deserts in Southwestern North America, which is why there were so many to see in Arizona. Barrel cacti are perennial, meaning that they grow back every year. They do produce beautiful flowers and fruit. The fruit is ripe when it turns yellow, and tastes a little tart. People can eat the fruit raw or cooked, and the seeds can be ground into meal. I think it is fascinating that the barrel cactus can grow fruit that you can eat. I hope I can try some barrel cactus fruit the next time I visit Arizona.