Santa Fe Botanical Garden

Common name: kingcup cactus, claret cup hedgehog, claret cup cactus

Family: Cactaceae (Cactus)

Distribution: Southwestern United States, Northern Mexico

Habitat: Grasslands, rocky outcrops, pinyon-juniper woodlands

Hardiness: USDA Zone 6 (-10 to 0 °F)

Life form: Cactus/succulent

Occurrence in New Mexico: New Mexico native plant

Growing Conditions: The native range of kingcup cactus extends from southeastern California and Baja California, east through Arizona, southern Nevada and Utah to central Colorado, south through New Mexico to west Texas. It is found on igneous, sandy and calcareous soils on desert slopes, rock outcrops, along cliffs and in dry, montane woodlands at elevations from 3,500-9,000 feet. It favors soils of volcanic origin. It is widespread in piñon-juniper communities, bajadas, and grasslands in New Mexico. A well-known variety at White Sands, New Mexico, inhabits saline flats adjacent to pure gypsum dunes. This unusually large variety shrinks to the same size as northern plants when grown together in a common garden. The species typically grows in sun and has a high tolerance for heat and drought.

Description: Kingcup cactus occurs either singly or in clusters of stems, which may become decumbent (lay along the ground) with age. Mounds or clusters of up to 200 stems can reach 1-5 feet in diameter. The cylindrical stems are 2-12 inches tall and 1-6 inches in diameter, each with one joint. Each stem has 5-12 ribs bearing areoles on the crests. This species is geographically variable, with few to numerous spines. The spines can be straight, curved or contorted. This cactus is diurnal-flowering, with individual flowers reopening each morning for 2-3 days. The tubular red flowers (2-4 inches long) give rise to juicy pink or red fruits with deciduous spines. It generally has only a few long, horizontal fibrous roots.