Claret Cup Cactus
Echinocereus coccineus
Claret cup cactus forms mounds of spiny stems crowned with brilliant scarlet cup flowers that hummingbirds visit, one of the showiest and hardiest native cacti. Like other hedgehog cacti, the sweet fruit is a traditional foraged treat once the spines are removed.
- Family
- Cactaceae
- Type
- shrub
- Lifespan
- perennial
- Height
- 0.3–1 ft
- Spacing
- 1–2 ft apart
- Light
- sun
- Soil moisture
- dry
- Soil pH
- neutral, alkaline
- Bloom
- March, April, May, June
- Bloom colors
- red, orange
- Wildlife value
- pollinators, hummingbirds
- Landscape uses
- foundation, container
- Native states
- AZ, CA, CO, NM, NV, TX, UT
Related native plants
More Echinocereus species
- Engelmann's Hedgehog Cactus (Echinocereus engelmannii)
- Claretcup Cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus)
- Nylon Hedgehog Cactus (Echinocereus viridiflorus)
- Texas Rainbow Cactus (Echinocereus dasyacanthus)
- Pitaya (Echinocereus enneacanthus)
- Strawberry Hedgehog (Echinocereus stramineus)