Sea Urchin Cactus Plant Care
Coryphantha echinus (Engelm.) Orcutt
Updated · Sources · How we source care data
Coryphantha echinus is a species of cactus known by the common names of sea urchin cactus, hedgehog Cory cactus or rhinoceros cactus. C.
Full sun
At a glance
How do you care for Sea Urchin Cactus?
Sea Urchin Cactus grows best in full sun.
Where Is the Sea Urchin Cactus Native To?
What Is the Sea Urchin Cactus?
Sea Urchin Cactus (Coryphantha echinus) belongs to the Cactaceae family within the Coryphantha genus. Sea Urchin Cactus is native to the south and east portion of the Trans-Pecos to Del Rio, Chihuahua, Coahuila and sporadically in the northeast Trans-Pecos.
Sea Urchin Cactus displays a solitary or clumping, low rosette growth habit, reaching up to tall with a spread of approximately . Sea Urchin Cactus produces yellow, pink, or white funnel-shaped flowers.
What Light Does the Sea Urchin Cactus Need?
Sea Urchin Cactus thrives in full sun.
Light Requirement
Full sun
What Soil Mix Works Best for a Sea Urchin Cactus?
Sandy, well-draining cactus mix with perlite and coarse sand. Good drainage is essential for Sea Urchin Cactus to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Do You Repot a Sea Urchin Cactus?
Repot every 2-3 years in early spring. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.
How Do You Propagate a Sea Urchin Cactus?
Sea Urchin Cactus can be propagated through offsets, seeds. Similar propagation techniques also apply to pincushion cactus plant care, which shares the same genus.
Is the Sea Urchin Cactus Toxic to Pets and Children?
Pet safety not verified
The ASPCA does not list Sea Urchin Cactus, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Keep pets from chewing it as a precaution.
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the Sea Urchin Cactus?
Sea Urchin Cactus is susceptible to scale insects, mealybugs. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
Keep exploring plants
Sea Urchin Cactus is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Coryphantha genus — compare its care with other Coryphantha species on PlantoScan.
Coryphantha is part of the Cactaceae plant family — browse all Cactaceae genera and species.
Sea Urchin Cactus thrives in bright light and direct sun — see other bright-light plants.
More Coryphantha Species
Other Coryphantha species in PlantoScan's care catalogue share similar watering, light, and soil preferences:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Coryphantha echinus (Engelm.) Orcutt, family Cactaceae (first published in Circular to Cactus Fanciers: . 1922.) — World Flora Online record.
- Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list Sea Urchin Cactus, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks — values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link — we check and correct reported errors.
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