Echinocereus engelmannii (Engelmann's Hedgehog)

4/9/1995 Visitor Center, Anza Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego County, CA

3/4/17 Shaver's Valley, Eastern Riverside County, CA 

3/4/17 Shaver's Valley, Eastern Riverside County, CA 

LIFE LIST NOTES:

COMMON NAME: Engelmann's Hedgehog

SPECIES: Echinocereus engelmannii

FAMILY: Cacataceae (Cactus Family)

LIFE LIST DATE: 4/9/1995

LOCATION: Visitor Center, Anza Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego County, CA

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Treatment from The Jepson Manual (1993):

Plant branched, forming clumps or mounds < 1 m dial

Stems < 60, ± erect, 5–60 cm, 4–9 cm diam, cylindric, green; ribs 10–13; tubercles indistinct; areole wool present in first year only; spines variable in color and shape, always present, glabrous; central spines 2–7, < 8 cm, spreading, straight to twisted; radial spines 6–14, 2–20 cm

Flower 5–7.5 cm diam, short-funnel-shaped; perianth purplish to magenta or lavender, inner parts generally acuminate or bristle-tipped (sometimes round); anthers yellow

Fruit fleshy, 20–30 mm, spheric, red, edible; spine clusters deciduous

Ecology: Many dry habitats

Elevation: < 2400 m.  

Bioregional distribution: San Bernardino Mountains, Peninsular Ranges, White and Inyo Mountains, Desert 

Distribution outside California: to Utah, Arizona, Mexico

Flowering time: May–Jun

Synonyms: E. munzii (Parish) L.D. Benson  

Highly variable; sometimes divided into vars., but not satisfactorily. More study needed

Horticultural information: DRN, DRY: 2, 3, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.