Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. reichenbachii. Cactaceae – Cactus family. [4] Fruits are various shades of green and 15 to 28 millimetres (0.59 to 1.10 in) long. [13], Propagation is facilitated by seeds collected as the fruits begin to dry. Genus. [9] Destruction of habitat, over-collecting, and livestock grazing have all contributed to its endangered status. [11] Flowers open for just one day, but anthesis is usually staggered so plants have blooming flowers for a full week; buds are covered in white wool that hides the fruit as it develops. [6], Variations of Echinocereus reichenbachii include E. reichenbachii var. E. reichenbachii are cold and heat tolerant, and prefer dry, well-drained soils near rock outcroppings. Stems 1 inches thick, 1 feet long; forms a clump 2 feet wide. Click below on a thumbnail map or name for species profiles. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. New stems start at or just above the ground and grow sideways, then upright. albertii)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Echinocereus_reichenbachii&oldid=953806838, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Taxonbars with automatically added basionyms, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 29 April 2020, at 04:10. Importance of Hedgehog Cactus. [13][14], "Black Lace Cactus (Echinocereus reichenbachii var. Updates? Direct children include E. reichenbachii var. Zones CS, TS; USDA 9-11. During the years 1848 to 1856, George Engelmann made extensive studies of a plant he named Echinocereus caespitosus. Stems are semi-erect, dark green, up to 16 inches (40 cm) tall and up to 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. Haage – Berlandier's hedgehog cactus P. Variety Echinocereus berlandieri (Engelm.) Clumps 12 feet tall, 3 feet wide, with 3- to 4 inches-thick stems. Family. The species is native to the Chihuahuan Desert and parts of northern Mexico and the southern United States, where they grow at elevations up to 1,500 meters (4,900 ft). reichenbachiana, and he later discussed the possibility with Engelmann that these two plants were one and the same. [12] They are drought resistant, but susceptible to mealybugs and scale insects. Plants are solitary or clustered in as many as 12, with erect stems that have 10 to 19 ribs. albertii are found near the Kleberg, Jim Wells, and Refugio counties of south Texas. The purple or pink flowers bloom in early May to late June, growing to approximately 4.5 to 8 centimetres (1.8 to 3.1 in) by 5 to 10 centimetres (2.0 to 3.9 in). baileyi, E. reichenbachii var. Some grow at fairly high elevations, where they survive freezing temperatures. The importance of plants lies in their great contribution to human life and the environment. [10], Echinocereus reichenbachii is a perennial plant and shrub. flowers vary from pink to magenta. Forms colonies 3 feet wide. They reach 7.5 to 30 centimetres (3.0 to 11.8 in) tall and 4 to 10 centimetres (1.6 to 3.9 in) wide. Goblet-shaped, purplish red, 2- to 3 inches flowers remain open at night. Native Introduced Native and Introduced. Pistils are multi-lobed and green, and stamens are cream-colored or yellow. The variety found in Oklahoma, E. reichenbachii baileyi, have especially long "bristlelike" spines. – hedgehog cactus. albertii (commonly called the Black Lace cactus) is a federally listed endangered species of the United States that is endemic to Texas. Stems 14 inches thick, 2 feet long. [6], Despite the early indication of a naming error, Engelmann's binomial was used to describe the plant until 1893, when F.A. Echinocereus is a genus of ribbed, usually small to medium-sized, cylindrical cacti, comprising about 70 species native to the southern United States and Mexico in very sunny, rocky places. Hedgehog cactus, (genus Echinocereus), genus of about 60 species of cacti (family Cactaceae), native from central Mexico to the western United States. [3] The flower's inner tepals are silvery pink or magenta; the outer portions are white, crimson, green, or multicolored. They grown at elevations up to 1,500 meters (4,900 ft). Species Echinocereus berlandieri (Engelm.) Stems grow to 2 inches thick, 1 feet long, forming a clump to 2 feet wide. Excellent choices for dry-land gardens. burrensis, and E. reichenbachii subsp. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Subordinate Taxa. armatus, E. reichenbachii subsp. Haage Jr. changed Terscheck's Echinocactus reichenbachii to Echinocereus reichenbachii, which Nathaniel Lord Britton and Joseph Nelson Rose later adopted. Each stem is 2 inches thick, 6 inches tall. [1] It is one of the smaller Echinocereus species. This cactus earned the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. New stems... cream lace cactus. Flowers are 3 inches wide, orange to red; inch-long fruits (not edible) are pink to red. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Fourn. They are cold and heat tolerant, and grow well under glass. The species is used in commercial landscaping as ornamental features, particularly in desert environments. The central spines tend to be the darkest. Usually the flowers are large and the fruit edible. The areoles are elliptical or oval, with seven to 36 spines each. [11] In the United States, E. reichenbachii is native to Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, and Nebraska. The importance of Hedgehog Cactus is high as its benefits are more and so are Hedgehog Cactus Facts.Every gardener must look for the … [4] Plants are solitary or multi-branched in clusters of as many as twelve, with erect stems with 10 to 19 slightly undulate ribs. These simple and spectacular Southern cakes deserve a comeback, These sides will be the real stars of Thanksgiving dinner. Premium Membership is now 50% off! Southern Living is a registered trademark of, These Haircuts Are Going To Be Huge in 2021, 140 Thanksgiving Side Dishes That’ll Steal the Show, 7 Paint Colors We’re Loving for Kitchen Cabinets in 2020, 50 Books Everyone Should Read in Their Lifetime. [11] E. reichenbachii is native to the northern Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas. [4], In 1843, German botanist Carl Adolf Terscheck named a specimen of cactus collected in Mexico Echinocactus reichenbachii, but his description was incomplete and proved unhelpful to later scholars. blanckii (Poselg.) [3] They are spaced 1 to 6 millimetres (0.039 to 0.236 in) apart, with 15 to 36 spines each. The inch-long, greenish to brownish purple fruit is edible and tastes like strawberries. The Plants Database includes the following 28 species of Echinocereus . The first part of the genus name Echinocereus is coming from the Greek for 'hedgehog', while the second part 'cereus' comes from the Latin for 'large candle'. The spines are tan, to brown, black, purplish black, or pink, and the tips are usually darker than the shaft. [3] Immature specimens are spherical, and as they grow they become cylindrical. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/plant/hedgehog-cactus. Learn how to season this Southern kitchen staple in five easy steps. [11], E. reichenbachii prefer full sun and require little water. The scientific name, Echinocereus, comes from the Greek ekhinos, meaning hedgehog, and cereus, the Latin term for wax paper. The claret cup (E. triglochidiatus) ranges from north of Mexico City to northern Utah and southern Colorado. Echinocereus reichenbachii (commonly known as lace or hedgehog cactus) is a perennial plant and shrub in the cactus family. Populations of E. reichenbachii var. fitchii. [4] E. reichenbachii earned the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Caryophyllales. Plants are considered deer resistant. HEDGEHOG CACTUS strawberry cactus. Black Friday Sale! albispinus, E. reichenbachii subsp. Zones US, MS, LS, CS, TS; USDA 6-11. Southern Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. claret-cup cactus. They thrive in dry, well-drained, gravelly, clay, and loam soils, and near rock outcroppings. Nearly 50 species of hedgehog cactus are native to the Southwest, including Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico. fitchii, E. reichenbachii var. Hedgehog cactus, (genus Echinocereus ), genus of about 60 species of cacti (family Cactaceae ), native from central Mexico to the western United States.