Far from common but among the more beautiful of the “hedgehogs” is the
rainbow echinocereus, also called “rainbow cactus,” so named because of
the horizontal bands of alternating red and white spines encircling the
single, sturdy stem. It grows in rocky situations in the mountains of
southern Arizona and northern Mexico, blossoming from June to August.
The large flowers, of which there may be from one to four crowding
around the crown of the plant, are often larger than the plant itself.
Spines are small and lie densely flat over the somewhat fluted stem,
which is from 3 to 14 inches high.
_Echinocereus pectinatus_ Cactus Family
[Illustration: RAINBOW ECHINOCEREUS]