Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Perennial
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Europe, Northern Europe, Western Europe, United Kingdom
North America, South America, Brazil
Types
M. v. brevipetala
M. v. collina
M. v. frozen
M. v. grandiflora
M. v. paui
M. v. verna
M. v. japonica
Peanut cactus
Number of Varieties
7128
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Grassland, Prairies, Suburban areas, Tropical regions
Desert, Sandy areas, Semi desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-712-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
12-10
Sunset Zone
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
Mat-forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
7.60 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
20.30 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White, Yellow, Red, Purple, Orange, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
-
Green, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Tiny
Succulent
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Grafting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Never Over-water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water more in summer
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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads, Requires very little pruning
Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
fertilize in growing season, fertilize in summer, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Fungal Diseases
Mealybugs, Scale
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
Skin cuts
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects, Versatility, Very little waste
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Thyroid problems, tuberculosis
Burns, Heals minor burns, Heart problems, High blood pressure, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Leaves
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used As Food
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Alpine, Container, Edging, Groundcover, Lawns and Turf, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
MINUARTIA verna
ECHINOPSIS
Common Name
Irish Moss
Hedgehog Cactus, Sea urchin cactus
In Hindi
आयरिश काई
हाथी कैक्टस
In German
Irish Moss
Igel Kaktus
In French
Irish Moss
hérisson cactus
In Spanish
musgo de irlanda
cactus de erizo
In Greek
Irish Moss
κάκτος σκαντζόχοιρος
In Portuguese
Moss irlandês
hedgehog cactus
In Polish
mech irlandzki
jeż kaktus
In Latin
Irish Moss
cactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Caryophyllaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Minuartia
Echinopsis
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Trichocereeae
Subfamily
-
Cactoideae
Number of Species
502000
1
27800
👆🏻