# Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus (*echinocereus coccineus*) The Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus is a bright red cactus that looks like it has little hedgehogs on it! It loves to soak up the sunshine and can survive in very dry places. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** It lives in dry, desert areas of the southwestern United States and Mexico. - **Also known as:** Echinocereus, Red Hedgehog Cactus, Strawberry Cactus ![Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Echinocereus_coccineus_coccineus_24.jpg&width=800) Photo: colinpena, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Echinocereus_coccineus_coccineus_24.jpg) ## Appearance The Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus has vibrant scarlet to orange-red flowers that form a striking crown atop its spiny, clumping green stems. Its densely packed spines give it a fuzzy, hedgehog-like appearance, making it distinct from smooth-stemmed cacti. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Caryophyllales - **Family:** Cactaceae - **Genus:** Echinocereus ## Interesting facts - It's sometimes called "strawberry hedgehog" because of its delicious red fruit! - Its sweet fruit tastes like strawberries, even though it's a spiky desert plant! - Native peoples used parts of this cactus for both food and traditional medicine. - This tough cactus can live for over 50 years in the wild, enduring harsh deserts! ## Special abilities - **Prickly Protector:** This cactus has sharp, dense spines that act as a formidable defense, deterring most animals from trying to eat its juicy stems. - **Nectar Beacon:** The Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus produces sweet nectar in its bright flowers, attracting important pollinators like bees and hummingbirds. - **Desert Colony:** Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus grows in clumps, where multiple stems share resources and provide mutual protection from harsh sun and herbivores. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-30 cm - **Spread:** 15-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 5-8 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Drinks nectar and collects pollen from flowers. - **Pollinates:** [Black-chinned Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-chinned-hummingbird) (*Archilochus alexandri*) — Feeds on nectar from the scarlet flowers. - **Eats:** [White-throated Woodrat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-throated-woodrat) (*Neotoma albigula*) — Consumes its fruit and uses cactus for shelter. - **Eats:** Sonoran Desert Tortoise (*Gopherus morafkai*) — Graze on its stems and fruit in the desert. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Be careful around cacti; their spines can be sharp! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus? Compare leaf arrangement, rosette shape, ribs, spines and flowers. Keep in mind that drought and strong sun can shift a plant's color and shape. Succulent Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus? 10-30 cm ### How wide does Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus spread? 15-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus? 5-8 cm ### When does Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus bloom? Spring to early summer ### Is Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus edible? Yes ### Is Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus toxic? None ### What is Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Bandelier CCC Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bandelier-ccc-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chihuahuan-desert-research-institute) — Texas, US · Botanical Garden - [Elephant Butte Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/elephant-butte-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/great-sand-dunes-national-park-and-preserve) — Colorado, US · National Park - [Mesilla Park Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mesilla-park-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [The Caverns Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/the-caverns-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District [View all places to see Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/scarlet-hedgehog-cactus) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Scarlet Hedgehog Cactus: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/scarlet-hedgehog-cactus)