Reputedly one of the best of this fantastic genus, Ferocactus pilosus is from north-central Mexico. It has a typically solitary form, although offsetting forms do occur, and the plants are globose with reddish spines on the ribs that are not differentiated into centrals and radials. The flowers are yellow to red and are produced near the apical meristem. These plants are seedlings in one-gallon pots.