Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Tree
Origin
North America, South America, Brazil
India, Nepal, China
Types
Peanut cactus
Betula utilis
Number of Varieties
1282
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Sandy areas, Semi desert
Mountains
USDA Hardiness Zone
12-155-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
7-5
Sunset Zone
12, 13, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Upright/Erect
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.20 cm760.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Yellow, Red, Purple, Orange, Rose
Tan, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Yellow green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Yellow
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Succulent
Cordiform
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
-
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Spring
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Grafting, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Water once every two or three weeks, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Average Water
Average Water
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Less Watering
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, fertilize in summer, Potassium
Fertilize in early spring, Fertilize in late fall, slow-release fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Scale
Honey fungus, Leaves with brown tip, Phytophthora Root Rot, Powdery mildew, Verticillium Wilt
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
Dry Conditions, waterlogging, Wet Site
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
-
Allergy
Skin cuts
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Versatility, Very little waste
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Heals minor burns, Heart problems, High blood pressure, Wounds
anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Antioxidants, Antiseptic, Carminative
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Bark, Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used in construction, Wood is used in construction
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
ECHINOPSIS
BETULA utilis
Common Name
Hedgehog Cactus, Sea urchin cactus
Himalayan Birch
In Hindi
हाथी कैक्टस
हिमालय सन्टी
In German
Igel Kaktus
Himalaya-Birke
In French
hérisson cactus
bouleau de l'Himalaya
In Spanish
cactus de erizo
abedul del Himalaya
In Greek
κάκτος σκαντζόχοιρος
Himalayan σημύδας
In Portuguese
hedgehog cactus
bétula Himalaia
In Polish
jeż kaktus
Himalayan brzoza
In Latin
cactus
Birch Himalayan
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Fagales
Family
Cactaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Echinopsis
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Trichocereeae
-
Subfamily
Cactoideae
-
Number of Species
200030
1
27800
👆🏻