Known commonly as the hedgehog cactus, this common, widespread variety is characterized by low clumps of cylindrical or conical stems, sometimes containing a hundred or more plants, and conspicuous red or pink flowers - some of the largest and brightest blooms of any cactus. They grow over a wide range of environments, from the low, hot deserts to cool mountain slopes, but most prefer unshaded conditions. Spines are arranged along vertical ribs, and are always straight, never hooked. Some exist in a number of variants, and others (especially echinocereus coccineus) look very different across some parts of their range.


Other US species of hedgehog cactus, most with very limited distribution, are:

Echinocereus apachensis, Apache hedgehog cactus, in the Superstition Mountains of central Arizona
Echinocereus berlandieri, Berlandier's hedgehog cactus, far south Texas
Echinocereus mojavensis, in the Mojave Desert (CA, NV, UT); a variant of echinocereus triglochidiatus
Echinocereus papillosus, Allicoche hedgehog cactus, far south Texas
Echinocereus pectinatus, Mexican rainbow cactus, scattered locations close to the Mexican border (AZ, NM, TX)
Echinocereus poselgeri, dahlia hedgehog cactus, south Texas
Echinocereus pseudopectinatus, devil thorn, west Texas