Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Strawberry Hedgehog
Strawberry Hedgehog, sold as Echinocereus stramineus, is a clumping hedgehog cactus covered in long, straw-colored spines. Over time it builds a mound of many short stems, each 4 to 12 inches long, that can spread several feet wide. In late spring it opens large purple to magenta flowers up to about 5 inches across. It takes full sun and heat and needs little or no water once rooted.
Best for: low mounds in gravel beds and rock gardens, patio pots, and hot, sunny spots.
It forms a mound of many short stems, each 4 to 12 inches long. Over time the clump keeps adding heads and can spread several feet wide.
Large purple to magenta flowers up to about 5 inches across open in late spring. Red fruit follows the flowers.
It wants full sun and handles heat well. Once it is rooted, it needs little or no water.
Poor drainage causes rot, so plant it where water runs off and keep it dry in winter. The long, stiff spines make it a poor fit next to walkways.
- Closer planting12 in apart
- Wider planting24 in apart
Wait about a week after planting before the first water. Then water every other week while nights stay above 60°F. In cooler weather, water only after two to four weeks without rain.
Water deeply in the warm months only when the soil is dry, and give little or none in winter. Plants in pots dry out faster and need water more often than plants in the ground.
Plant it with the same side facing the sun as in the nursery. Cover a new plant with light shade cloth its first summer, then remove it.
Frost can scar the stem tips, and young plants are the most tender. Cover the tips with foam cups or frost cloth that reaches the ground, not plastic. Take covers off in the morning.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Why is it called strawberry hedgehog?
It is sold as strawberry hedgehog, and its name stramineus means made of straw. That refers to its straw-colored spines.
How big does it get?
Each stem grows 4 to 12 inches long, but the clump keeps adding heads and can spread several feet wide. Give it room to widen.
When does it bloom?
It blooms in late spring, with large purple to magenta flowers up to about 5 inches across. Plant it where you will see the show.
How often should I water it?
Once it is rooted, it needs little or no water. Let the soil dry between waterings, and keep it dry in winter.
Does it need full sun?
Yes, it wants full sun and handles heat. Shade a newly planted cactus lightly during its first summer.
Can it grow in a pot?
Yes, it grows well in a pot. Use a pot with a drainage hole and a fast-draining cactus mix.
How do I propagate it?
It makes many pups, so you can start new plants from them. Cut one off, let the cut dry, then plant it in dry cactus mix.
How is it different from Native Hedgehog?
Native Hedgehog is Engelmann's hedgehog, which grows wild in Arizona. Strawberry Hedgehog comes from Texas, New Mexico and Mexico and has straw-colored spines, so pick Native Hedgehog if you want an Arizona native.
Strawberry Hedgehog for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Strawberry Hedgehog, Echinocereus stramineus, is a mounding hedgehog cactus named for its straw-colored spines. It builds wide clumps and blooms purple in late spring. Below are the questions Valley homeowners ask about it, with what to do for each.
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Strawberry hedgehog cactus in Phoenix
This clumping hedgehog has straw-colored spines and large purple flowers in late spring. It takes full sun and heat, so give it a bright, open spot.
How big strawberry hedgehog gets
Its stems grow 4 to 12 inches long, but the clump can spread several feet wide over time.
Watering strawberry hedgehog
Water it only a little once it is rooted, and keep it dry in winter. Poor drainage causes rot, so plant it where water runs off.
Strawberry hedgehog flowers and fruit
Large purple to magenta flowers open in late spring. Red fruit follows the flowers.
Strawberry hedgehog vs Engelmann's hedgehog
Engelmann's hedgehog is the native Arizona hedgehog. Echinocereus stramineus comes from Texas, New Mexico and Mexico and has straw-colored spines.
Growing strawberry hedgehog in pots
It grows well in pots with a fast-draining mix. It also makes pups that you can split off to start new plants.
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