Echinocereus klapperi

RHS Plant Profile

Klapper's hedgehog cactus

RHS

Cactus Succulent

A very spikey cactus with cylindrical, clump-forming stems which can take on a whitish appearance due to the colour and quantity of stems. Short, tubular orange to red flowers appear in July/August.

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

Up to 10 cm

Max Spread

0-0.1 metre

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 0-0.1 metre
Max Height: Up to 10 cm

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: West–facing or South–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H1C

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Cactaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Echinocereus can have deeply ribbed cylindrical or globose stems, sometimes forming clumps, and large funnel-shaped flowers
Name Status: Unresolved

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow under glass in a peat-free, loam-based potting compost with added extra grit. Water moderately when in growth, not at all when dormant. Apply a balanced liquid fertiliser 2 or 3 times in the growing season. See houseplant cacti and succulent cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by seed

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Patio and container plants
Prairie planting

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to mealybugs and scale insects

Diseases

Generally disease-free