# Kingcup Cactus

*Echinocereus triglochidiatus*

It is the official state cactus of New Mexico, and its brilliant red flowers do not close at night like many other cactus blooms.

- **Taxonomy:** Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Caryophyllales › Cactaceae › Echinocereus
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** desert
- **Habitat:** Rocky slopes, gravelly desert flats, canyon walls, and pinyon-juniper woodlands.
- **Diet:** Autotrophic (photosynthesis via CAM pathway).
- **Range:** Southwestern United States, Northern Mexico
- **Size:** Mounds up to 1 meter wide, with individual stems 10 to 30 cm tall.
- **Lifespan:** 30 to 50 years
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Illegal poaching for the horticultural trade, habitat fragmentation, and off-road vehicle damage.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless if respected. The sharp, rigid spines can easily puncture skin. Maintain a safe distance of at least a few feet and do not touch. If pricked, carefully remove the spines with tweezers, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water, and monitor for signs of infection.

## About

Echinocereus triglochidiatus is a species of hedgehog cactus known by several common names, including kingcup cactus , claretcup , and Mojave mound cactus . This cactus is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it is a resident of varied habitats from low desert to rocky slopes, scrub, and mountain woodland. It is most abundant in shady areas.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/655f920b-efe6-44b7-bb9e-6447addcc598
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/82276
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echinocereus triglochidiatus
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/12538848/medium.jpg (no rights reserved, CC0, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.