Echinocereus viridiflorus
| Light | Bright light with plenty of direct sun; tolerates full sun in most climates |
|---|---|
| Water | Sparingly in the growing season; keep bone-dry through a cold winter rest |
| Soil | Gritty, fast-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Exceptionally cold-hardy; survives hard frost when dry, roughly USDA zones 4–9 |
| Propagation | Seed (primary); occasional offsets from clustering plants |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Echinocereus viridiflorus is a small, extremely cold-hardy hedgehog cactus of the North American Great Plains and Southwest, named for its unusual greenish flowers. Its short, ribbed stems are wrapped in neat combs of spines, and in late spring they open modest blooms in shades of yellow-green to brownish-green that often carry a faint lemon scent — a combination that has earned it the common names green-flowered hedgehog and nylon hedgehog.
Description
Echinocereus viridiflorus is usually a solitary plant, though older specimens may form small clusters of a few heads. Each stem is short and cylindrical to egg-shaped, typically only a few centimetres to around 15 cm tall, with a dozen or so low, tuberculate ribs. The areoles carry closely set radial spines that press against the body in tidy comb-like rows, often banded in white, reddish or purplish tones that give the plant much of its year-round appeal.
The flowers are the species' signature feature. Rather than the vivid magenta typical of the genus, they are small, funnel-shaped and coloured in muted greens and yellow-greens, sometimes flushed brown or bronze, and are frequently described as smelling faintly of lemon. They open along the sides of the stem in mid to late spring and are followed by small greenish fruits.
Distribution and habitat
The species ranges farther north than any other Echinocereus, spanning short-grass prairie, rocky slopes and open pine country from the northern Great Plains south through the central and southwestern United States and into northern Mexico. It grows among grasses and low scrub in gritty, well-drained ground, often tucked against rock where it can be hard to spot until it flowers.
Across this range it endures a genuinely continental climate — baking summers and long, hard-frozen winters — which is the source of its remarkable cold tolerance.
Cultivation
E. viridiflorus is one of the easier hedgehogs to please, provided its two firm needs are met: strong light and sharp drainage. Grow it in a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix and give it as much direct sun as you can — plants grown too shaded become soft and shy to flower. Water freely while it is in active growth, always letting the mix dry out between waterings.
Its winter rest matters more than for most cacti. Kept completely dry, the plant is astonishingly frost-hardy and can be overwintered cold — even outdoors in much colder climates than most cacti tolerate — which encourages a strong flush of spring flowers. The danger in winter is not cold but damp: wet, cold roots rot quickly. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Seed is the usual and most reliable method. Sown on a warm, gritty surface and kept lightly humid, the seed germinates well, and raising plants from seed preserves the natural variation in spine colour and form. Where a plant has offset into a small cluster, the pups can be separated and rooted much like any offset; otherwise see Propagation — seed for a full walkthrough.
Common problems
- Rot — the main killer, almost always from winter wet or a slow-draining mix rather than from cold itself.
- Etiolation — too little light makes the stem pale, soft and elongated, and discourages flowering.
- Pests — red spider mites and mealybugs are the usual offenders; watch the areoles and stem base (see Pests and diseases).
See also
- Echinocereus — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — seed · Propagation — offsets · Repotting