Plant Name:  Hedgehog Cactus

Botanical Name:  Echinocereus Engelmannii.  Note:  This is a plant originally chosen when the garden was first considered as a “Wild Edible” garden.

Native Name:  Navtem (a general Native name for different cactuses).

Height/Physical Description:  This cactus forms a thick, thorny clump that is 1 to 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide.  The lavender to deep purplish flowers bloom in early Spring.  The flowers give way to inch-long red fruit.

Use: Edible red fruits.

Harvesting:  When the fruit has turned red.

Preparation:  Slice the red fruit in half and scoop out the pulp and seeds which can be eaten raw or roasted.