Summary ⁶

The strawberry hedgehog cactus or Engelmann's hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus engelmannii) is commonly found in desert areas of the southwestern United States and the adjacent areas of Mexico, including the states of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Baja California and Sonora.

Description ⁷

It usually grows in clusters, sometimes up to 20 and more stems. Its bright magenta flowers bloom in April in its southern extremes to late May at northern locations. The flowers are borne at the upper half to one third of the stem. They are funnelform in shape, up to 3.5 inches (8.9 centimetres) long with dark-green stigmas. The fruit is very spiny. At first it is green, becoming pink and drying when ripe. The ripe fruit has spines which are easily detached. The seeds are black, and around a tenth of an inch in size.

The stems are initially cylindrical and erect in young plants, but later with the stem base lying on the ground. The stems are usually 1.5 to 3.5 inches (3.8 to 8.9 centimetres) in diameter and up to 25 inches (64 centimetres) high, and obscured by heavy spines. The plants have around 10 ribs, which are somewhat flattened and tuberculate.

Spines variable in color and size. Radial spines are shorter and needlelike, up to 0.8 inches (2.0 centimetres) long, white and arranged in a neat rosette. Central spines number 2 to 7 and are stout, usually twisted or angular, up to 3 inches (7.6 centimetres) long and variable in color: bright yellow, dark brown, grey, and white.

Uses ⁷

Echinocereus engelmannii is commonly used as a landscape plant in its native areas. In pot culture it requires well aerated gritty substrate, and a hot and sunny location in the summer. In the winter the plant easily tolerates light frost and wet (if well-drained) soil. In cultivation, it usually does not bloom until it develops 2-3 branches.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Tom Benson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), https://www.flickr.com/photos/40928097@N07/48040865451/
2. (c) Dawn Endico, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035743246@N01/8181549
3. (c) Tony Iwane, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Tony Iwane
4. (c) Dētto, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Dētto
5. (c) Sarah-Mae Nelson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by Sarah-Mae Nelson
6. Adapted by Jeny Davis from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echinocereus_engelmannii
7. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echinocereus_engelmannii

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• Calflora
• CalPhotos
• eFloras.org
• Flora of North America (beta)
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
• IPNI (with links to POWO, WFO, and BHL)
• Jepson eFlora
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• SEINet Symbiota portals
• Tropicos
• USDA PLANTS database
• World Flora Online

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