Engelmann's Hedgehog
Echinocereus engelmannii
A compact native hedgehog cactus that erupts with brilliant magenta blooms beloved by bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Very cold hardy, to near 0-10°F, USDA 9-11; equally at home in low and high desert.
AMWUA Notes
Native, water-thrifty hedgehog cactus that needs no supplemental irrigation once established.
Care Guide
Water established clumps only during prolonged drought; they store water and rot easily in wet soil.
None needed; remove any shriveled or rotted stems from the clump.
Not necessary in native desert soil.
Watch for mealybugs deep in the clump; otherwise very tough and pest-resistant.
Fully hardy and heat-adapted, producing a burst of magenta bloom in spring with no special care.
Soil, Feeding & Propagation
Gritty, fast-draining mineral soil or decomposed granite; lean
Needs sharp, fast-draining soil.
None — thrives in lean desert soil without fertilizer.
Division of clump offsets or seed
2 ft
Shallow, non-invasive roots; keep the spiny clump back from paths
Placement Tips
- •Tuck among rocks in a rock or pollinator garden where the low clump will not be brushed against.
- •Keep the spines back from paths.
- •Plant in gritty, fast-draining soil.
- •Combine near larger specimen cacti for scale contrast.
Features
Best Uses
Ecological Value
Attracts
Companion Plants
Quick Stats
Design Styles
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Use this care guide to maintain your Engelmann's Hedgehog. Questions about your landscape? Reach out anytime.
Data from 2024 AMWUA “Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert” guide.