Arizona Hedgehog Cactus: Echinocereus arizonicus

By: Ellen Shipley

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Echinocereus arizonicus or the Arizona hedgehog cactus is an endangered cactus in the Superstitious Mountains nearby Phoenix, Arizona. This cactus produces flowers off of the sharp, prickly stems that are usually bright red and cup-like.  The cactus was named the hedgehog cactus due to the prickly stems resembling the spikes that hedgehogs have on their backs (Drue Tibbits, Hedgehog Cactus Information). In 1979 the Arizona hedgehog cactus became endangered for the main reason of disturbance by humans but also because of the limitation it has to grow in the mountainous area.

In the Superstitious Mountains where the Arizona hedgehog cactus is found, there are many disturbances from miners, ranchers, highways and people that use the area for recreation (Clare E. Aslan, Pollination of the Endangered Arizona Hedgehog Cactus) causing the cactus to lose large areas of land where they usually grow. Due to this huge issue of disturbances many of the cactuses have been transplanted to different areas where they have been able to grow in a better climate. The hedgehog cactus has characteristics where it can protect itself from predators with its prickly exterior and these, spines also help the cactus too not get too much sunlight with the desert heat (Kent Page McGroarty, Characteristics of the Hedgehog Cactus). This allows the plant to not lose as much water enabling the plant to survive in the very warm climate.

http://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/arizona/Plants.htm

The survival characteristics that the Arizona hedgehog cactus has help the cactus with protection from predators and too much sunlight but still has very little protection from humans. The cactus is protected under the Arizona Native Plant Law and also is protected from international trade but it is still endanger of going extinct.

References

Aslan, Clare E. “Pollination of Endangered Arizona Hedgehog Cactus.” American Midland Naturalist Jan. 2015: 61-63. Environment Complete. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.

McGroarty, Kent P. “Characteristics of the Hedgehog Cactus.” SFgate. n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.

Tibbits, Drue. “Hedgehog Cactus Information.” SFgate. n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.