Go ahead, try to convince us that the barrel cactus isn't one of the coolest drought tolerant plants that exists. It's not going to work. We are loving this alien-ish little ball of spikes...

Over at the LAtimes.com, they've got a slideshow of ten different ways to use the barrel cactus in a water-wise garden. No surprise: we love all 10 of them.

We really like seeing a bunch of them grouped together like little green boulders. Do any of you out there share our budding love for the barrel cactus? Do you have any in your yard?

Images: Debra Lee Baldwin/LA Times