Missouri Foxtail Cactus (Escobaria missouriensis): A Tiny, Yellow-Flowered Pincushion

Escobaria missouriensis, the Missouri Foxtail Cactus or Yellow Pincushion Cactus, is a tiny, solitary or clustering cactus with globular stems covered in a dense mat of white to pale yellow radial spines and a few central spines. It produces relatively large, bright yellow flowers with green stigmas in late spring. This widespread North American native is extremely cold-hardy and a gem for troughs and rock gardens.