[Cacti East of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Hedgehog Cactus, Mountain Ball Cactus, Snowball Cactus

Pediocactus nigrispinus

Synonyms: Coryphantha vivipara, Coryphantha vivipara var. vivipara, Echinocactus simpsonii var. robustior, Pediocactus nigrispinus ssp. beastonii, Pediocactus nigrispinus ssp. nigrispinus, Pediocactus nigrispinus ssp. pueblensis, Pediocactus nigrispinus var. beastonii, Pediocactus simpsonii, Pediocactus simpsonii var. nigrispinus, Pediocactus simpsonii var. robustior

The photo above shows an example of hedgehog cactus as seen from Yakima County, Washington.......April 24, 2007.

Characteristics:

Stems globose or oval with long, needle-sharp spines. Flowers very showy, cup-like, with many petals and stamens. Flowers are solitary and commonly ruby red, but may include yellow to purple. The spines are found in tubercles in eight to thirteen spiral longitudinal rows.

Habitat:

Hedgehog cactus may be found from the plains and foothils in sandy or rocky soils.

Range:

Hedgehog cactus may be found from the eastern edge of the Cascade Mts of Washington and Oregon east to Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and Colorado.

Hedgehog cacti as seen from Yakima County, Washington........April 24, 2007.

Pediocactus nigrispinus from along the old highway between Ellensburg, WA and Vantage, WA...........May, 1978.

Paul Slichter