Claret cup cactus

Echinocereus triglochidiatus

Family:: Cactaceae
Elevation:: 4,000 ft – 8,000 ft
Bloom:: Apr – Jun
Region:: Southwest

A mounding hedgehog cactus that lights up with waxy scarlet cup flowers in late spring — one of the few cacti hardy enough for the cold high desert and a top hummingbird plant.

Care · tuned to the Southwest

Water

Rainfall only once established. If potted or newly planted, water only when soil is bone dry, and stop entirely from late fall through winter — wet cold soil rots the roots.

Sun & exposure

Full sun. In containers the roots can cook, so shade the pot, not the plant.

Soil

Extremely sharp drainage: decomposed granite, pumice, or a gritty cactus mix over gravel. Never plant in a low spot that collects runoff.

In the Southwest

Cold-hardy to roughly 0 °F, unusual for a cactus. Slow-growing; a large mound is decades old, so buy nursery-propagated stock and never collect from the wild — it's protected.

Common problems & fixes

Overwatering basal rot — soggy soil causes soft brown rot at the stem base
Fix — Grow in gritty, fast-draining mix, water only when bone dry, and keep dry in winter.
Corky scab — tan corky patches from excess moisture and humidity
Fix — Improve drainage and airflow and avoid overhead watering.

Pets & toxicity

Spines are the hazard, not toxicity.

Easy to confuse with

Other Echinocereus (strawberry hedgehogs) — pink, not scarlet, flowers
Escobaria / pincushion cacti — smaller, different flowers

Sources

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