desert cactus

Engelmann's Hedgehog Cactus

Echinocereus engelmannii

Native to Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah

Southern Utah to southern California, south to Arizona and northern Mexico

In the garden

A desert cactus for full sun and lean, dry soil.

Light

Full sun Partial shade Full shade

Moisture

Dry Moist Wet

Bees Orange-tipped Woodborer

also Western Honey Bee, Barrel Cactus Longhorn, Megandrena enceliae +2 more
Peridot Sweat Bee, Cactus chimney bees
Beetles Orange Stout-horned Luperine

Habitat: DesertThe wild plant community it grows in.
Native range: Arizona, California, Nevada, and UtahUnited States (4): AZ, CA, NV, UT. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
Native distribution: Southern Utah to southern California, south to Arizona and northern MexicoThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.

Light: Full sunHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
Moisture: DryThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
Soil: Sandy, rocky or gravelly soilsThe soils it grows in naturally.
Soil texture: Light to medium (sandy to loamy)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
Soil pH: Neutral to alkalineThe acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
Soil quality: Low (tolerates poor soil)How rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
Water use: LowHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.

Spread: ~3 ft (0.9 m)How wide one plant gets, a guide to spacing.
Life cycle: PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
Growth rate: ModerateA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.