Echinocereus rigidissimus subsp. rubispinus

Scientific Name

Echinocereus rigidissimus subsp. rubispinus (G.Frank & A.B.Lau) N.P.Taylor

Common Names

Rainbow Hedgehog Cactus, Rainbow Cactus, Ruby Rainbow, Arizona Ruby Rainbow Hedgehog, Pink Comb Cactus

Synonyms

Echinocereus pectinatus var. rubispinus, Echinocereus pectinatus var. rubrispinus, Echinocereus rigidissimus var. rubispinus, Echinocereus rigidissimus var. rubrispinus

Scientific Classification

Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Pachycereeae
Genus: Echinocereus

Description

Echinocereus rigidissimus subsp. rubispinus is a small columnar cactus with erect, cylindrical stems covered with short pink spines. The stems grow up to 10 inches (25 cm) tall and up to 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter. Flowers are up to 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter, pinkish-red, magenta or red with white throats, and appear in late spring.

Echinocereus rigidissimus subsp. rubispinus (Rainbow Hedgehog Cactus) — *Photo via wikipedia.org*

Hardiness

USDA hardiness zones 9a to 11b: from 20 °F (−6.7 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).

How to Grow and Care

If you can successfully grow other globular cactus, you can most likely grow Echinocereus well. One of the key factors in success with these is avoiding any hint of wet soil. Because their root systems are weak, they are especially prone to root rot, which will eventually kill your plant. Otherwise, they thrive on a program of intense bright light, slight water, and a steady diet of light fertilizer. These cacti are vulnerable to mealybugs and aphids.

Echinocereus are slow-growing cacti that should only need repotting every other year or so. You can prolong the time to repotting by removing plantlets and potting them up in their own pots. When repotting a cactus, carefully remove it from its pot and knock away any clumped soil. These plants tend to be shallow-rooted with weak root systems, so take care not to damage their roots.

Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Echinocereus.