Echinocereus engelmannii

Species of cactus

Echinocereus engelmannii, the strawberry hedgehog cactus or Engelmann's hedgehog cactus, is a cactus 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.

Engelmann's hedgehog cactus usually grows in clusters, sometimes up to 20 and more stems.

This species is located within the genus Echinocereus and is taxonomically closest to E. bonkerae Thornber & Bonker, E. dasyacanthus Engelm., E. fasciculatus (Engelm. ex S. Watson) L. D. Benson, E. fendleri (Engelm.) Rümpler, E. nicholii (L. D. Benson) B. D. Parfitt, E. papillosus A. Linke ex Rümpler, and E. pectinatus (Scheidw.) Engelm These species share the common traits of thick base tepals (>2mm), wide receptacular tubes, and dark coloring of the flower throat. Some molecular evidence supports the division of E. engelmannii into two species to distinguish its diploid ancestor E. relictus B. Wellard., which is distributed only in a narrow section of southwestern Utah and northern Arizona.

Engelmann's hedgehog cactus is one of the most common species of cactus in the south western US (southern California, Arizona, southern Nevada, Utah) and Mexico (Baja California down to northern Baja California Sur, Sonora) at elevations from sea level to 2400 meters. There are a number of varieties of Echinocereus engelmannii, and some are rare. Habitat: It grows in different dry habitats normally in well drained deserts in the Sonoran and Mojave deserts, chaparral, pinyon juniper woodlands, grass, and Great Basin shrub in flats with fine sand on the plain, washes and canyons in the desert, and also in gravelly, sandy, or rocky hillsides, and in mountain ranges. The rich flora and diverse vegetation of the area includes, among others, Ferocactus cylindraceus, Mammillaria microcarpa, Mammillaria tetrancistra, Echinocereus scopulorum, Fouquieria sp., Larrea tridentata, Cercidium microphyllum, Idria columnaris, Opuntia leptocaulis, Opuntia ramosissima, and Opuntia engelmannii. Engelmann's hedgehog cactus is abundant throughout its range.

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