Echinocereus pulchellus | Flattened hedgehog cactus
€10,60
🌱 Morphology
Small cactus, generally solitary, with a globose and strongly depressed stem, bluish-green or glaucous in color. It reaches approximately 3–7 cm in height and up to 5–10 cm in diameter. It features about 11–13 low, obtuse ribs, slightly divided into small tubercles. The areoles are small and very close to each other. It produces only 3–5 short radial spines that are straight, yellowish, and deciduous, leaving the body sparsely armed. It possesses a thickened taproot that acts as a storage organ and allows the cactus to partially retract into the ground during dry periods.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Endemic to Mexico, mainly in Hidalgo and Puebla, although populations in other states have historically been attributed to this taxon due to the complexity of the group. It inhabits areas between approximately 1,800 and 2,500 m in altitude, in clearings of grasslands and xerophytic scrublands, on soils derived from igneous and limestone rocks. Its geophytic strategy allows it to survive intense drought periods by retracting the stem. It belongs to the Cactaceae family.
❄️ Temperature — USDA Zone 7b–11b
It tolerates minimum temperatures down to −12 ºC in dry and properly acclimatized specimens, especially for short periods. Even though it is cold-hardy, it must be kept completely dry during the lowest temperatures.
☀️ Lighting
During active growth, it requires intense light, with an approximate target of 18–25 mol/m²/day of DLI PAR. It tolerates several hours of direct sun, although progressive acclimatization is advisable to prevent epidermis burns, especially after the rest period.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter rest. It displays a marked adaptation to drought: during the dry period, it can contract the stem and partially retract into the ground. In spring and summer, during active growth, abundant watering is recommended, allowing the substrate to dry completely before the next watering. Drainage must be excellent. During the winter rest, it is kept completely dry and cool.
🌸 Flowering
It produces large and striking flowers relative to the body size, ranging in color from light pink to deep pink or magenta, which appear laterally. They can reach approximately 6–10 cm in diameter depending on the population. In Madrid, flowering can occur mainly between May and July.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with high assimilable calcium content and low nitrogen levels is recommended, such as Desert CHOICE® Cactaceae, applied once a month when watering. Before flowering, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Flowering.
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a technological square pot with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
9x9 cm gourmet black pot
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