Echinocereus triglochidiatus
Chilly-hardy claret cup cactus, Echinocereus triglochidiatus, aka kingcup or scarlet hedgehog cactus, is the state cactus of Colorado.
Properly tailored to the cruel climates of the southwest this species is suited to cultivation in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 10.
Mature dimensions are 12 to 24 inches tall and vast, consisting of mounding cylindrical stems coated in lengthy, sharp, angled spines.
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The scarlet blossoms are a spring-to-summer celebration, punctuating the sandy stretches and rocky outcroppings of the American Southwest and adjoining Mexico.
Not like many cactus blooms that shut at night time, the flowers of the claret cup stay open, offering nectar to hummingbirds that arrive at daybreak and nightfall.
After blooming, the vegetation produce reddish fruits that present meals for desert birds and wildlife.
This information discusses all the pieces you might want to know to develop E. triglochidiatus outside or as a houseplant. Right here’s what we’ll cowl:
The genus Echinocereus consists of about 70 flowering species generally known as hedgehog cacti, named for his or her resemblance to the spiny little mammals.
There are two subspecies of E. triglochidiatus. The nominate type, E. triglochidiatus ssp. triglochidiatus, grows within the jap portion of its vary and has bigger, flat-sided spines however fewer of them.
Against this, E. triglochidiatus ssp. mojavensis, discovered farther west, bears a mixture of curly and straight spines.
Different hedgehog cacti are generally confused with claret cup. E. coccineus has twice the standard variety of chromosomes, producing bigger flowers and taller stems in dense clumps.
Its blossoms are orange-hued fairly than true scarlet, and the spines are rounder. Naturally occurring variants reminiscent of E. coccineus var. paucispinus and var. arizonicus are additionally discovered within the wild.
One other relative, E. polyacanthus, has extra quite a few spines which might be much less angled, with uniformly cylindrical stems and deeper purple flowers.
Along with purple and orange-red claret cup varieties, there are hedgehog cacti with yellow and magenta cup-like blossoms.
Fast Look
Widespread identify(s): Claret cup, hedgehog, kingcup, Mojave mound, red-flowered or scarlet hedgehog
Plant kind: Cactus
Hardiness (USDA Zone): 5-10 (outside)
Native to: Southwestern United States, northern Mexico
Bloom time / season: Spring to summer time
Publicity: Full-sun, part-sun
Soil kind: Free, sandy loam, well-draining
Soil pH: 6.0-7.0, barely acidic to impartial
Time to maturity: 5-10 years
Mature dimension: 12 to 24 inches tall and vast
Finest makes use of: Beds, borders, containers, houseplant, rock gardens, xeriscapes
Taxonomy
Order: Caryophyllales
Household: Cactaceae
Genus: Echinocereus
Species: Triglochidiatus, polyacanthus, coccineus
One of many attention-grabbing options of claret cup is its development behavior. Vegetation develop slowly over time into dense, mounded colonies which will include dozens of stems.
Within the wild, these can unfold a number of toes throughout, creating hanging patches of colour once they burst into bloom all of sudden.
This clumping behavior additionally helps buffer particular person stems from temperature swings and intense desert solar.
The flowers themselves are completely tailored to their pollinators.
Their funnel form accommodates the lengthy payments of hummingbirds, their essential pollinator, whereas additionally permitting bees and different bugs to succeed in the pollen.