Outdoor Dream Builders

ROC #343460

Back to Plant Library

cactusPet FriendlyPollinator Plant

Argentine Hedgehog

Name: Argentine Hedgehog
Brand: Outdoor Dream Builders

Echinopsis huascha

A clumping Argentine cactus whose night-blooming white flowers create a magical display for nocturnal pollinators.

Hardy to roughly 25°F, USDA 9-11; a low-desert performer needing light frost protection in cold pockets.

AMWUA Notes

Drought tolerant clumping cactus that flowers on minimal summer water.

Care Guide

💧Watering

Water every 2-3 weeks in the warm season and keep dry in winter; excellent drainage is essential to prevent rot.

✂️Pruning

Remove spent flower stalks and any damaged stems; offsets can be divided to expand the clump.

🌱Fertilizing

A light spring feeding with dilute cactus food encourages bloom but is optional.

🛡️Pests

Watch for mealybugs and scale within the dense clump.

☀️Seasonal Notes

Protect from hard frost below 25°F; the clump blooms heavily in spring after cool nights.

Soil, Feeding & Propagation

🪨Soil

Gritty, fast-draining mineral soil or decomposed granite; low organic matter

💧Drainage

Needs sharp, fast-draining soil.

🌱Nutrient Needs

Low feeder.

🌰Propagation

Division of offsets or seed

📐Spacing

3 ft

🌳Roots & Placement

Shallow, non-invasive roots; keep the low clump out of high-traffic zones

Placement Tips

•Site where the night-blooming flowers can be enjoyed near a patio.
•Keep the low clump out of high-traffic zones.
•Plant in sharp-draining granite.
•Combine with taller columnar cacti for contrast.

Features

Night-blooming white flowersClumping habitNocturnal pollinator magnetCompact size

Best Uses

Rock gardenNight gardenContainer

Ecological Value

Attracts

nocturnal pollinators

Companion Plants

cactus

Argentine Giant

Echinopsis candicans

A towering columnar cactus producing spectacular 6-to-8-inch fragrant white flowers that perfume the night air.

Low Waterpartial shade

cactus

Golden Barrel

Echinocactus grusonii

A beloved golden-spined globe cactus that looks stunning planted in clusters among desert boulders.

Low Waterfull sun

succulent

Red Yucca

Hesperaloe parviflora

One of the toughest and most rewarding desert plants, sending up arching coral-red flower spikes that hummingbirds adore.

Very Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

accent

Native

Desert Spoon

Dasylirion wheeleri

An exceptional native specimen with a dense sphere of blue-gray leaves and a towering summer flower spike.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

Quick Stats

Water NeedsLow

Sun Exposurepartial shade

Mature Size2 ft H × 3 ft W

Growth Rateslow

Maintenancelow

HardinessUSDA 9-11

FoliageEvergreen

Drainagesharp, fast-draining

Bloom SeasonSpring

Bloom ColorWhite

Litter Levellow

Thornsmedium

Native RegionArgentina

Design Styles

desert modernnative habitat

Include in Your Project

Love Argentine Hedgehog? Our landscape team sources from wholesale nurseries and can incorporate it into your design.

Talk to a Dream Builder Get a Project Estimate

Already a Client?

Use this care guide to maintain your Argentine Hedgehog. Questions about your landscape? Reach out anytime.

Data from 2024 AMWUA “Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert” guide.