Echinocereus engelmannii (Parry ex Engelmann) Lemaire 1868
Hedgehog cactus, calico cactus, dagger-spine hedgehog, Engelmann’s hedgehog, Howe hedgehog, Indian strawberry cactus, Munz’s hedgehog cactus, needle-spine hedgehog, purple-spined hedgehog, strawberry hedgehog, varied-spine hedgehog, Engelmann hedgehog
Kingdom Plantae Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom Tracheobionta Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division Magnoliophyta Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class Magnoliopsida Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass Caryophyllidae Cacti, many other succulents, carnivorous plants, and leadworts
Order Caryophyllales Includes cacti, carnations, amaranths, ice plants, and many carnivorous plants
Family Cactaceae Succulent (water-storing) plants, often spiny
Genus Echinocereus Ribbed, small to medium-sized cacti
Species engelmannii After Georg(e) Engelmann (1809-1884), a German-born St. Louis physician and botanist, and prolific author on cacti, North American conifers and oaks
About plant names...
This hedgehog cactus is native to southwestern North America. They are found in the
San Bernardino Mountains, Peninsular Ranges, White and Inyo Mountains, and deserts. Echinocereus is from
the Greek for hedgehog or sea urchin, and engelmannii is for its discoverer, the prolific German-American
botanist George Engelmann.
Identification: Plants occur in groups of up to 60 stems,
with clumps reaching up to 3′ (1 m) around. Cylindrical green stems with 10-15 ribs, 1¾-24″ (5-60 cm) high
and up to 3½″ (9 cm) around, are nearly invisible under the copious spines. Spine groups are highly
variable. 2-7 central spines up to 2½″ (7 cm) long are haphazardly oriented and variable in
color. Another
6-14 radial spines, smaller and whitish, lie close to the stem surface. Funnel-shaped flowers
are usually deep magenta, varying from pink to red-purple. They bloom from May to June. Fruits are red, up to 1″ (3 cm) long.
Echinocereus engelmannii flowers from the Desert National Wildlife Range, north of Las Vegas, NV. 4/26/2005. By Stan Shebs.
Edibility: Fruits are edible.
References:
Anderson, Edward F., The Cactus Family , Timber Press, 2001 , p. 234
Online References:
CactiGuide.com
George and Audrey DeLange's Arizona wildflower site
Desert-tropicals.com
CalPhotos
The Jepson Manual
4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)
4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 10 × 6″ (24 × 16 cm)
4/28/2018 · Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 10 × 6″ (24 × 16 cm)
4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 6 × 4″ (14 × 10 cm)
5/5/2014 · American Southwest (AZ or TX) · By Jacquelyn Boyt
2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California · ≈ 17 × 12″ (44 × 29 cm)
4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)
4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (12 × 18 cm)
4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 6 × 10″ (16 × 24 cm)
Older scientific or horticultural names
Cereus engelmannii Parry ex Engelmann 1852
Cereus engelmannii var. chrysocentrus Engelmann & Bigelow 1856
Echinocereus engelmannii var. chrysocentrus (Engelmann & Bigelow) Rümpler 1885
Cereus engelmannii var. variegatus Engelmann & Bigelow 1856
Echinocereus engelmannii var. variegatus (Engelmann & Bigelow) Rümpler 1885
Cereus munzii Parish 1926
Echinocereus munzii (Parish) L. D. Benson 1941
Echinocereus engelmannii var. munzii (Parish) P. Pierce & Fosberg 1933
Echinocereus engelmannii var. acicularis L. D. Benson 1969
Echinocereus engelmannii var. armatus L. D. Benson 1969
Echinocereus engelmannii var. purpureus L. D. Benson 1969
Echinocereus engelmannii var. howei L. D. Benson 1974
Echinocereus engelmannii description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.
4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 20 cm)
4/28/2018 · Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 10 × 6″ (24 × 16 cm)
4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)
4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 6 × 10″ (16 × 24 cm)
5/3/2018 · Ryan Mountain, Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
5/3/2018 · Ryan Mountain, Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)
4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
5/3/2018 · Ryan Mountain, Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)
4/28/2018 · Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)
4/28/2018 · Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 10 × 6″ (24 × 16 cm)
4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)
4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)
5/3/2018 · Ryan Mountain, Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 10 × 6″ (24 × 16 cm)
Range: Zones 7-10:
About this map...
