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[]. We are following the treatment of David Hunt, 2016 in CITES Cactaceae Checklist, Third Edition, ISBN 978-0-9933113-2-1.

Common Name: Hedgehog Cactus

General Information

Echinocereus nicholii is a spiny, evergreen, succulent shrubby plant; many-branched from near the base, it forms large, loose clumps or mounds of usually 16 - 30 cylindrical stems. The stems are around 20 - 30cm tall, occasionally to 70cm, and 6 - 9cm in diameter, forming clumps that can be 50 - 100cm or more wide[, , ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is grown as an ornamental[].
Echinocereus nicholii s wide-ranging and there are no major threats. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Southwest N. America - southern Arizona to northwest Mexico (Sonora)

Habitat

Sonoran desert scrub, growing on limestone, granitic and basaltic slopes., at elevations from 300 - 900 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Habit	Evergreen Perennial
Height	0.25 m
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

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[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw. Eaten with the seeds[]. A sweet and pleasant flavour[]. The white pulp has a strawberry-like flavour[]. The globose fruit is green at first, turning red as it ripens, 23 - 34mm in diameter[, ]

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -