High Desert Cactus ID

[lostbuthopeful]

Hello All, I'm a complete beginner at cacti. I was outside of Santa Fe, NM in the Sangre de Cristo foothills at about 7300 feet of elevation and in addition to the usual cholla y prickle pear, I saw this cactus: Can anyone help me with what it is?

[vlani]

Echinocereus triglochidiatus

[lostbuthopeful]

Much obliged! That certainly seems like that must be it. It's so hard to identify when they aren't flowering. Almost all the pictures have flowers on them.

[vlani]

For the flowers you have to wait till May or even June, given the elevation.
You have 3 Echinocereus species in the area, and one species each Escobaria, Pediocactus and Sclerocactus, plus a few Opuntoides. Not too many to chose from in any case

[lostbuthopeful]

I'll look for some of the others ... again, thank you very much.

[peterb]

Hello! I lived in Santa Fe for 25 years and became quite familiar with the cactus flora of the area. New Mexico is a fantastic state overall to travel and see cacti in habitat. You might want to check out the New Mexico cactus and Succulent Society which meets in Albuquerque once a month. Good people and great plant knowledge.

Up in the mountains, you will see both Echinocereus coccineus and triglochidiatus. Opuntia polyacantha. Some Cylindropuntia imbricata at the lower elevations. The closest Pediocactus simpsonii population is near Tesuque. In Santa Fe, if you look for undeveloped blue grama grass fields and search about May through August, you can sometimes find Sclerocactus papyracanthus, very hard to find as it looks just like the grass. Santa Fe is the type locality for that. Around the hospital and in the foothills around Santa Fe High, you can find Mammillaria wrightii, not a very common plant. Corynopuntia clavata is around, especially outside town in La Cienega. Echinocereus viridiflorus is a very miniature, colorful form in Santa Fe County. anyway, have fun! but don't dig up any plants.

PS- I forgot Escobaria vivipara which is around also.