Echinocereus ortegae

Echinocereus ortegae is a clumping hedgehog cactus of the Sierra Madre Occidental in Sinaloa, Durango and Sonora, with upright stems to 40 cm and scarlet tubular flowers. Most records come from 2000–2500 m, so it expects bright light, a dry spring, summer monsoon rain and cool, dry winters.

At home, aim for

Day Cool-growingTargets in Plantistry

Night A clear drop at nightTargets in Plantistry

Humidity Dry airBand in Plantistry

Light Full sunDLI and PPFD in Plantistry

Expects a seasonal restGrows on rock (lithophyte)

Where it grows wild

Clumps on rocky slopes in the mountains of western Mexico, mostly in the pine-oak zone; habitat inferred from the record elevations and the genus.

Recorded at 933–2579 m, median 2243 m; most plants live high in the Sierra Madre Occidental.

DurangoSinaloaSonora

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates

✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it

✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light

✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it

✓ Substrate and airflow

✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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More Echinocereus

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its CC0 licence, unmodified.