Life Span
Annual and Perennial
  
Perennial
  
Type
Herbaceous Perennial
  
Cactus or Succulent
  
Origin
Northwestern United States, California, Canada
  
North America, South America, Brazil
  
Types
Stock, Tenweeks stock, Gillyflower, Brompton Stock
  
Peanut cactus
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
Cultivated Beds
  
Desert, Sandy areas, Semi desert
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-9
  
12-15
  
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 1
  
12-10
  
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
12, 13, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
Habit
Upright/Erect
  
Upright/Erect
  
Plant Size
  
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
Light Blue, Lavender, Blue Violet
  
White, Yellow, Red, Purple, Orange, Rose
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Not Available
  
Fruit Color
Not Available
  
Green, Orange Red
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
  
Not Available
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
  
Not Available
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
  
Not Available
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
  
Not Available
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Oblanceolate , Ovate
  
Succulent
  
Thorns
No
  
Yes
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
  
Not Available
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
  
Growth Rate
Very Fast
  
Slow
  
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
  
Loam, Sand
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
  
Spring
  
Repeat Bloomer
No
  
No
  
Tolerances
Drought
  
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
  
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
  
Container, Ground, Pot
  
How to Plant?
Seedlings
  
Grafting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Low
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
  
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
  
In Summer
Lots of watering
  
Average Water
  
In Spring
Moderate
  
Average Water
  
In Winter
Average Water
  
Less Watering
  
Soil
  
  
Soil pH
Slightly Acidic
  
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Soil Type
Sandy
  
Loam, Sand
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Not Applicable
  
Well drained
  
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
  
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
  
Remove dead or diseased plant parts
  
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
  
fertilize in growing season, fertilize in summer, Potassium
  
Pests and Diseases
Not Available
  
Mealybugs, Scale
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought
  
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
No
  
No
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
No
  
No
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Fine
  
Bold
  
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
  
Not Available
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
No
  
No
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
No
  
Attracts
Butterflies
  
Hummingbirds
  
Allergy
Not Available
  
Skin cuts
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Not Available
  
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
  
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
  
No Beauty Benefits
  
Edible Uses
Yes
  
Yes
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification
  
Air purification, Food for insects, Versatility, Very little waste
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Antidote, Aphrodisiac, Expectorant, Stomachic
  
Burns, Heals minor burns, Heart problems, High blood pressure, Wounds
  
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves, Seedpod
  
Leaves
  
Other Uses
Used as a dye
  
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
  
Used As Indoor Plant
No
  
Yes
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Not Available
  
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
  
Botanical Name
Matthiola incana
  
ECHINOPSIS
  
Common Name
Blue Thimble Flower, Field Gilia, Gillyflower
  
Hedgehog Cactus, Sea urchin cactus
  
In Hindi
gillyflower
  
हाथी कैक्टस
  
In German
Garten-Levkoje
  
Igel Kaktus
  
In French
Gillyflower
  
hérisson cactus
  
In Spanish
Gillyflower
  
cactus de erizo
  
In Greek
Gillyflower
  
κάκτος σκαντζόχοιρος
  
In Portuguese
Matthiola incana
  
hedgehog cactus
  
In Polish
Gillyflower
  
jeż kaktus
  
In Latin
Matthiola incana
  
cactus
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
  
Tracheophyta
  
Class
Magnoliopsida
  
Magnoliopsida
  
Order
Capparales
  
Caryophyllales
  
Family
Polemoniaceae
  
Cactaceae
  
Genus
Gilia
  
Echinopsis
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
  
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
  
Tribe
Gilieae
  
Trichocereeae
  
Subfamily
Polemonioideae
  
Cactoideae
  
Number of Species
Not Available