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Useful Temperate Plants

Echinocereus coccineus

Engelm.

Cactaceae


The taxonomy of this genus is complicated due to fuzzy taxonomic boundaries, polytypic taxa, and differing interpretations by specialists. Most North American botanists recognize about 50 species, while the Echinocereus specialists in Germany recognize more than 70 species[
1991
Title
Ajo Peak to Tinajas Altas: A flora in southwestern Arizona. Part 7. Eudicots: Cactaceae - Cactus Family
Publication
Phytoneuron 2014-69: 1-95
Author
Felger R.S. et al
Publisher
 
Year
2014
ISBN
2153 733X
Description
 
]. We are following the treatment of David Hunt, 2016 in CITES Cactaceae Checklist, Third Edition, ISBN 978-0-9933113-2-1.

+ Synonyms

Cereus aggregatus J.M.Coult.

Cereus coccineus (Engelm.) Engelm.

Cereus conoideus Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow

Cereus phoeniceus Engelm.

Echinocereus aggregatus Rydb.

Echinocereus canyonensis Clover & Jotter

Echinocereus conoideus (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) Rümpler

Echinocereus decumbens Clover & Jotter

Echinocereus engelmannii decumbens (Clover & Jotter) W.Blum & Mich.Lange

Echinocereus krausei De Smet

Echinocereus monacanthus Heese

Echinocereus phoeniceus (Engelm.) Lem.

Echinocereus toroweapensis (P.C.Fisch.) Fürsch

Echinocereus triglochidiatus coccineus (Engelm.) U.Guzmán

Echinocereus triglochidiatus inermis (K.Schum.) Arp

Echinocereus triglochidiatus melanacanth (Engelm.) L.D.Benson

Echinocereus triglochidiatus toroweapens P.C.Fisch.

Cereus paucispinus Engelm.

Echinocereus paucispinus (Engelm.) Haage

Echinocereus triglochidiatus paucispinus (Engelm.) W.T.Marshall

Cereus roemeri Muehlenpf.

Echinocereus roemeri (Muehlenpf.) Engelm. ex Haage

Echinocereus rosei Wooton & Standl.

Echinocereus triglochidiatus rosei (Wooton & Standl.) W.T.Marshall

Common Name: Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus

No Image.

General Information

Echinocereus coccineus is a spiny, evergreen, succulent, perennial cactus with cylindrical stems. Many-branched from the base, it forms clumps or compact mounds of usually 20 - 100 cylindrical stems, exceptionally up to 500 stems; the stems are around 5 - 40cm tall and 4 - 15cm in diameter, forming a clump that can be more than 100cm wide[
1987
Title
The Cactus Family
Publication
 
Author
Anderson E.F.
Publisher
Timber Press; Portland, Oregon
Year
2001
ISBN
0-88192-498-9
Description
An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation..
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. It is often grown as an ornamental.
Echinocereus coccineus has a very large extent of occurrence, is abundant, and there are no major
threats. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Known Hazards

There are conflicting reports on edibility and toxicity for this species. There are some that say the fruit is edible, having a white pulp with a strawberry-like flavour[
270
Title
Flora of N. America
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
], whilst another report says that some Native Americans considered the fruit of this species to be poisonous and only used it medicinally[
1839
Title
Use and Nutritional Composition of some Traditional Mountain Pima Plant Foods
Publication
J. Ethnobiol. 11(1):93-114 Summer 1991
Author
Laferriere J.E.; Weber C.W. & Kohlhepp E.A.
Publisher
 
Year
1991
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Botanical References

200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
270
Title
Flora of N. America
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
,
1987
Title
The Cactus Family
Publication
 
Author
Anderson E.F.
Publisher
Timber Press; Portland, Oregon
Year
2001
ISBN
0-88192-498-9
Description
An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation..

Range

Southwest N. America - Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, northeast Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Sonora).

Habitat

Chihuahuan Desert, desert scrub, desert grasslands, pinyon-juniper and oak woodlands, Great Plains grasslands, montane forest, bajadas, rocky slopes, and cliffs, igneous, metamorphic, and limestone substrates; at elevations from 150 - 2,700 metres[
270
Title
Flora of N. America
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
]

Properties

Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitShrub
Height0.25 m
PollinatorsHumming Birds, Bees
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Echinocereus coccineus is a plant of semi-arid and arid regions of southwest N. America, requiring hot summers and a period of cool winter rest if flower-buds are to be produced the following spring. Plants in the wild are known to experience some frost and, in cultivation, can withstand short periods with temperatures down to aound -5°c during this winter rest so long as they are kept dry[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
In cultivation, Cactus plants generally will not succeed in moist climates. They usually require a sunny position in a well-drained, circumneutral soil and to be kept more or less dry in the dormant season[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Whilst most plants are hermaphrodite, some plants only have flowers of one sex[
1987
Title
The Cactus Family
Publication
 
Author
Anderson E.F.
Publisher
Timber Press; Portland, Oregon
Year
2001
ISBN
0-88192-498-9
Description
An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation..
].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[
257
Title
Native American Ethnobotany
Publication
 
Author
Moerman. D.
Publisher
Timber Press. Oregon.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-88192-453-9
Description
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
]. A white pulp with a strawberry-like flavour[
270
Title
Flora of N. America
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
].The greenish or yellowish to pinkish, bright red or brownish tinged fruit is usually 20 - 40,, in diameter, occasionally up to 72mm[
270
Title
Flora of N. America
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
]. One report says that some Native Americans considered the fruit of this species to be poisonous and only used it medicinally[
1839
Title
Use and Nutritional Composition of some Traditional Mountain Pima Plant Foods
Publication
J. Ethnobiol. 11(1):93-114 Summer 1991
Author
Laferriere J.E.; Weber C.W. & Kohlhepp E.A.
Publisher
 
Year
1991
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Medicinal

The plant, part not specified, is used as a heart stimulant[
257
Title
Native American Ethnobotany
Publication
 
Author
Moerman. D.
Publisher
Timber Press. Oregon.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-88192-453-9
Description
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
].
The fruit is used as a heart stimulant[
1839
Title
Use and Nutritional Composition of some Traditional Mountain Pima Plant Foods
Publication
J. Ethnobiol. 11(1):93-114 Summer 1991
Author
Laferriere J.E.; Weber C.W. & Kohlhepp E.A.
Publisher
 
Year
1991
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - surface sow on a finely sieved compost and place under a glass or transparent plastic cover in a temperature of 20°c.
Cuttings of detached branches. Leave the freshly taken cuttings in a warm, dry, airy position for the cut surface to callus, then place them in a sandy compost,
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Echinocereus+coccineus>

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