See the Queen and  King Claret Cups

and see the De-Na-Zin Tribal Chief Claret Cup Cactus

This is one of Betty's favorite flowers.

There are several dozen species of Echinocereus cactus in the Southwest. The very common and quite conspicuous species, Echinocereus triglochidiatus, is wide-spread throughout the Southwest in a wide range of habitats and elevations.  Echinocereus triglochidiatus has many pleated light green massed, cylindrical stems.  Typical plants are six to fourteen inches tall and twelve to twenty inches long and wide. The long, tubular and flaring, brilliant scarlet flowers make this a favorite of desert plant lovers. The beauty pictured at left is about a foot tall and wide. 

Echinocereus triglochidiatus was, until recently, broken into a dozen or more varieties; these are now considered either distinct species of  Echinocereus or they are considered Echinocereus triglochidiatus.

From the 1840s to the 1880s, the eminent St. Louis botanist and physician, George Engelmann, named and described most United States Cacti, including the new genus Echinocereus and Echinocereus triglochidiatus in 1848.

Masses of twisted filaments support light pink anthers and pollen that surround the green sticky stigma.

This long-spined Claret Cup growing in lava has numerous flower buds promising a beautiful May blooming. 

In recent years some botanists have re-examined this variety of Echinocereus triglochidiatus and concluded that it is Echinocereus coccineus, not E. triglochidiatus variety coccineus.  Several other varieties of Echinocereus triglochidiatus, e.g., E. triglochidiatus variety hexaedrus, E. triglochidiatus variety inermus, and E. triglochidiatus variety melanacanthus are now also considered E. coccineus.  ( Click to see the Flora of North America treatment of Echinocereus.)

The spine arrangement on this plant is typical for the Echinocereus triglochidiatus most common in the Four Corners area.

New spines are soft and yellow, red, and black.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Echinocereus triglochidiatus