Other species are found at higher elevations and are common during the summer months.
Some of the desert species blossom a second time in September.
[Illustration: Echinocereus fendleri Echinocereus rigidissimus]
Common names: HEDGEHOG CACTUS, STRAWBERRY CACTUS, CALICO CACTUS Arizona and California deserts: (_Echinocereus engelmanni_). Lavender-purple. March-April. Texas desert: (_Echinocereus fendleri_). Pink-purple. May-June. Cactus family. Size: 6 to 18 inches high.
Growing in open clumps with stems resembling spine-covered cucumbers standing on end, the Hedgehog is the first cactus to blossom in the spring. Flowers vary considerably in color ranging from lavender through purple to a rich red.
Fruits (called “pitayas” in Texas) are dark mahogany red, juicy, rich in sugar, and may be eaten like strawberries, hence the name Strawberry Cactus. They form an important item in the diet of birds and rodents. Pima Indians consider them a delicacy.
A close relative, the Rainbow Cactus (_Echinocereus rigidissimus_) is restricted in its distribution to elevations between 4,000 and 6,000 feet. It is called “Rainbow” Cactus because of alternating bands of red and white spines encircling the stem and marking growth of different seasons and years. The blossoms of the Rainbow Cactus are pinkish (yellow in western Texas) and are large and showy in comparison with the small size of the single-stemmed plant.
Common names: DESERT-HYACINTH, PAPAGOLILY, BLUEDICKS, COVENA, GRASSNUTS Arizona and California deserts: (_Dichelostemma pulchellum_). Light blue. February-May. Lily family. Size: About 1 foot high.
Very common and abundant in early spring, the pale blue to violet flowers of this small, delicate perennial Lily are conspicuous on open slopes and mesas. Found below 5,000 feet from southwestern New Mexico to California and northward to Oregon, they are widely scattered over the desert areas of the Southwest. Pima and Papago Indians ate the small bulbs, as also did the early white settlers who named them Grassnuts.
Common name: WILD-MORNINGGLORY Arizona desert: (_Evolvulus arizonicus_). Sky blue. April-October. Texas desert: (_Evolvulus alsinoides_). Azure blue. April-September. Convolvulus family. Size: Spreading perennial herbs up to 2 feet.