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Plant Fact Sheet Cactaceae Echinocereus engelmannii is a cylindrically stemmed, very spiny clump-forming cactus species. There are 5 to 6 varieties of this hedgehog recognized, depending on the author. Strawberry hedgehog is a common name for this group because of the sweet flavor of their ripe fruits. The clumps of this species can have from 3-60 heads, or individual stems or stem offshoots, and can reach 2 feet tall by 2 to 3 feet wide. The stems can be from 2 to 4 inches thick. The red-violet or fuchsia colored flowers are 2 to 3 inches long and wide and quite beautiful. In fact Echinocereus plants are often highly prized for the beauty of their flowers. The spiny fruits turn red when ripe and are usually plentiful. They are considered a delicacy by both man and animal as the fruit is high in sugars and the seeds are high in fats.
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Calico
Hedgehog, Strawberry Hedgehog
Hedgehog
cacti are found on rocky soil of hillsides, canyons, and washes at elevations
of 600 to 8,000 feet. They are found in the Mojave Desert and Colorado
Desert and also in Baja California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah,
and Arizona.
