Accession Count: 15
Common Name:
pinkflower hedgehog, robust hedgehog
Family Name:
Cactaceae
Botanical Name:
Echinocereus fasciculatus
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
The pinkflower hedgehog is a cactus with 3 to 20 cespitose (clumped) stems, ranging which are somewhat elongated and cylindrical. Each stem is about 18 inches long and 3 inches in diameter. The robust hedgehog is green in color with 18 ribs, lined with rows of long, white spines (1,2). The areoles located on the stems are cylindrical and 0.5 to 0.8 inches away from each other. There are 8 to 16 spines per areole (5). The spines are usually straight and range in color from yellowish brown to gray, black, and white. The spines are of two distinct types: radial spines and central spines. The central spines are longer in length, growing from 1-3 inches, and arise from the center of the areoles. The radial spines are smaller, ranging from 0.2-.0.8 inches long, and grow further away from the center.The flowers are born from the tip of the stem, usually ranging in color from pink to magenta or reddish-purple color (2,5). The flowers are broadly funnel-shaped and 2 inches across. Blooming occurs in the spring to early summer. The pinkflower hedgehog flower is diurnal. The seeds are globerose and fleshy. They are usually greenish in color and 0.8- 1.0 inches in size. The fruit usually forms from late May to June (2).
Compound:
Ech fas
Geographic Origin:
Desert Southwest
Ecozone Origin:
Nearctic
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
The pinkflower hedgehog usually is found in southern Arizona in the Sonoran desert (2). They are found growing in elevations of 2,000 to 5,000. This cactus is rare and can only be found in the Sonoran desert. They are considered salvage restricted. The pinkflower hedgehog is often misabeled or hard to identify and it resembles its close relatives, Echinocereus bonkerae and Echinocereus fendleri, which are so similar that they have the same common name (4). This type of cacti lives in desert scrub, interior chaparral, and semi-desert grassland (5). Echinocereus is from the Greek 'echinos,' hedgehog or spine, and cereus, waxy.
Cultivation Notes:
The pinkflower hedgehog cactus is low maintenance and does not need any water in addition to precipitation. It grows best in fully sunny locations. Hardy to 0°F and -10°F for only short periods. This cactus goes great with agaves, yuccas, and other cacti. They like to grow in soil that is well draining to its susceptibility to root rot (8).
Ethnobotany:
The pinkflower hedgehog cactus functions well as a container plant and can be grown in a cactus garden, a rock garden, or a natural desert landscape (1). No medicinal properties have been found, but others in the same species have proved beneficial (7).
Height:
0 - 5 feet
Width:
0 - 5 feet
Growth Rate:
Moderate Growing
Grow Season:
Flower Season:
Spring
Color:
Red
Function:
Accent
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Hardy
Water Use:
Low water Use
