Origin and Habitat: It is an island endemic from Angel de la Guardia Island, Baja California, Mexico.

• Ferocactus johnstonianus Britton & Rose
• Echinocactus johnstonianus (Britton & Rose) Fosberg
• Ferocactus acanthodes var. johnstonianus (Britton & Rose) G.Unger

Description: Densely spined ,usually solitary, barrel cactus.
Stem: Spherical to short-cylindrical. With adulthood the plant can reach 60-100 cm in height (but usually less) and about 30-35 cm in diameter.
Ribs: 24-35, up to 2 cm high, margins slightly tuberculate and undulate .
Areoles: Elliptical, 2 cm long and 7 mm wide rather closely set. With small conical glands.
Spines: Very numerous (about 22 to 25), 5-7 cm long, and fine (1,2 mm thick) initially golden-yellow (or sometimes reddish on the newest growth), becoming brownish as they age. Radials and centrals are very much alike, none hooked (or vaguely hooked in juvenile specimens), annulate, slightly spreading and more or less outwardly recurved. They are interlaced and cover the body nearly completely.
Flowers: 5cm long and 3,5 cm broad, tepals narrow, yellowish, or the outer ones reddish, short-accuminate, the margins slightly erose. Filaments yellowish below and gradually reddening toward the tip. Stigma flesh colored, with 8-13 lobes. Scales on the tube orbicular.
Fruits: 2,5-3 cm long and 1.5 cm broad or 5-6 cm long including the flowers remnants, opening by a large pore at the base.
Seeds: About 2 mm, black, shining, angled, pitted, with a small white depressed hylum.
Remarks: This species might be a population of Ferocactus cylindraceous, but it may also be a genetic link between Ferocactus cylindraceusSN|10102]]SN|10102]] and Ferocactus wislizeni.

Cultivation and Propagation: Plants are slow growing to start, but are easy to grow and require little care once they have reached a nice flowering size. They are suited for a well-drained soil in full sun throughout the year. Pot culture: it grows best in a fairly roomy, well-drained container filled with a porous cactus soil mixture that doesn't contain too much humus. To insure robust plants, water and fertilize during the aestival growth cycle; this plant need plenty of water. But it's necessary to avoid wetting the bodies of these plants while they are in sunlight. A wet cactus in the sun light can cause sun burning, which can lead to scars or even fungal infections and death. In winter keep completely dry at 10°C. This usually aids in maintaining a healthier plant, but it can tolerate sporadic light frost.

Propagation: Seeds are the only way of reproducing. Unfortunately seed material is very rarely available, and the seedlings are somewhat root-rot prone.