[Illustration: Echinocereus fendleri
Echinocereus rigidissimus]
Common names: HEDGEHOG CACTUS, STRAWBERRY CACTUS, CALICO CACTUS
Arizona and California deserts: (_Echinocereus engelmanni_).
Lavender-purple. March-April.
Texas desert: (_Echinocereus fendleri_). Pink-purple. May-June.
Cactus family. Size: 6 to 18 inches high.
Growing in open clumps with stems resembling spine-covered cucumbers
standing on end, the Hedgehog is the first cactus to blossom in the
spring. Flowers vary considerably in color ranging from lavender through
purple to a rich red.
Fruits (called “pitayas” in Texas) are dark mahogany red, juicy, rich in
sugar, and may be eaten like strawberries, hence the name Strawberry
Cactus. They form an important item in the diet of birds and rodents.
Pima Indians consider them a delicacy.
A close relative, the Rainbow Cactus (_Echinocereus rigidissimus_) is
restricted in its distribution to elevations between 4,000 and 6,000
feet. It is called “Rainbow” Cactus because of alternating bands of red
and white spines encircling the stem and marking growth of different
seasons and years. The blossoms of the Rainbow Cactus are pinkish
(yellow in western Texas) and are large and showy in comparison with the
small size of the single-stemmed plant.