Black lace cactus, Classen's cactus, Fitch's hedgehog cactus, Lace cactus, Merry widow cactus, Purple candle cactus
Echinocereus reichenbachii

Family: Cactaceae

What it is like

A cactus. The plants can occur singly or with 12 or more stems. They are covered with spines. The stems can be cylinder shaped or fattened. They taper towards the tips. They are 40 cm long and 10 cm wide. There can be up to 7 central spines and 12-36 radial spines. The flowers are near the tips of the stems. They are funnel shaped and pink or red. The flowers are 5-12 cm long and 12 cm across. The fruit are 2-3 cm long. The fruit are purple.

There are 60 Echinocereus species. They mostly grow in Mexico and the USA.

Where it is found

It grows in Texas in the centre and panhandle.

Countries/locations it is found in

Mexico, North America, USA

How it is used for food

The fleshy part of the stem is eaten as a vegetable after removing the spines.

Edible parts

Fruit, stem

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Echinocactus reichenbachii Terscheck ex Walpers; Cereus caespitosus Engelm. & A. Gray; Echinocereus caespitosus (Engelm.) Engelm.; Echinocereus reichenbachii subsp. caespitosus (Engel.) Engelm.; Cereus pectinatus var. armatus Poselger; Echinocereus armatus (Poselger) A. Berger; Echinocereus reichenbachii subsp. armatus (Poselger) N.P. Taylor; Echinocereus fitchii subsp. armatus (Poselger) Blum et al; Echinocereus baileyi Rose; Echinocereus reichenbachii subsp. baileyi (Rose) N.P. Taylor; Echinocereus fitchii Britton & Rose; Echinocereus reichenbachii subsp. fitchii (Britton & Rose) N. P. Taylor; Echinocereus perbellus Britton & Rose; Echinocereus reichenbachii subsp. perbellus (Britton & Rose) N.P. Taylor; Echinocereus albispinus Lahman; Echinocereus purpureus Lahman; Echinocereus melanocentrus Lowry; Echinocereus mariae Backeberg; Echinocereus reichenbachii var. albertii L.D. Benson; Echinocereus fitchii subsp. albertii (L.D. Benson) Blum & Lange;