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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Echinocereus chisoensis (Chisos hedgehog cactus)
Loughmiller, Campbell and Lynn

Echinocereus chisoensis

Echinocereus chisoensis W.T. Marshall

Chisos Hedgehog Cactus, Chisos Mountain Hedgehog Cactus, Chisos Hedgehog, Chisos Mountain Hedgehog

Cactaceae (Cactus Family)

Synonym(s): Echinocereus reichenbachii var. chisoensis

USDA Symbol: ECCH2

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Chisos Hedgehogs usually grow to 8 inches tall, but seldom more than 2 inches in diameter. They are usually single, but branch out occasionally above the ground. Each plant has 13-16 ribs composed of quite distinct tubercles, almost completely separated from each other by broad valleys. The surface is bluish-green to deep green. There are 10 to 15 spines growing from each areole, most of which lie flat on the stem. The flowers are about 2 1/2 inches long and 1-2 inches across and never open wide. The base of the petals is deep red followed by a pinkish-white band, with the upper portion pink to rose-colored. Stamens are cream-colored, and the pistil has several green lobes.

 

From the Image Gallery

1 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Cactus/Succulent
Fruit Type: Berry
Size Notes: Up to about 1 foot tall, often shorter.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Red , Pink
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul

Distribution

USA: TX
Native Distribution: This rare hedgehog grows only in the Chisos Mountains.

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
Heat Tolerant: yes

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Threatened & Endangered Status

USFWS Species Profile: Q294
Status: Threatened
Historic Range: U.S.A. (TX)
Critical Habitat: N/A
Special Rules: N/A
This information is derived from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Serrvice Environmental Conservation Online System.

Bibliography

Bibref 1141 - Cactuses of Big Bend National Park (1998) Evans, Douglas B.
Bibref 248 - Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

Additional resources

USDA: Find Echinocereus chisoensis in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Echinocereus chisoensis in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Echinocereus chisoensis

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-07
Research By: TWC Staff

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