Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Mexico, Central America, South America
North America, South America, Brazil
Types
Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants
Peanut cactus
Number of Varieties
1128
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
shrublands, tropical grasslands
Desert, Sandy areas, Semi desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999912-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 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
Minimum Height
45.70 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
50.80 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green
White, Yellow, Red, Purple, Orange, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green, Light Green, Tan
Green, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lanceolate
Succulent
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, 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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
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
Pest Free
Mealybugs, Scale
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
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
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flies
Hummingbirds
Allergy
allergic reaction, Skin irritation
Skin cuts
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
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
Detoxification, Insect Bites, Stomach pain, Treat Parasitic Intestinal Worms
Burns, Heals minor burns, Heart problems, High blood pressure, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds
Leaves
Other Uses
Pesticide, The essential oil is used as insect repellent
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Herb / Vegetable
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
CHENOPODIUM ambrosioides
ECHINOPSIS
Common Name
Mexican Tea
Hedgehog Cactus, Sea urchin cactus
In Hindi
Dysphania ambrosioides
हाथी कैक्टस
In German
Mexikanischer Drüsengänsefuß
Igel Kaktus
In French
Épazote
hérisson cactus
In Spanish
Dysphania ambrosioides
cactus de erizo
In Greek
Μεξικού τσάι
κάκτος σκαντζόχοιρος
In Portuguese
Dysphania ambrosioides
hedgehog cactus
In Polish
Komosa piżmowa
jeż kaktus
In Latin
Dysphania ambrosioides
cactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Chenopodiaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Dysphania
Echinopsis
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Dysphanieae
Trichocereeae
Subfamily
Chenopodioideae
Cactoideae
Number of Species
302000
1
27800
👆🏻