Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
North America, South America, Brazil
Types
-
Peanut cactus
Number of Varieties
3128
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
Desert, Sandy areas, Semi desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-912-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
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
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
White, Yellow, Red, Purple, Orange, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Black
Green, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
-
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Succulent
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
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
Low
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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
fertilize in growing season, fertilize in summer, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Mealybugs, Scale
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Hummingbirds
Allergy
Asthma
Skin cuts
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Air purification, Food for insects, Versatility, Very little waste
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Burns, Heals minor burns, Heart problems, High blood pressure, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Leaves
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
ECHINOPSIS
Common Name
River Birch
Hedgehog Cactus, Sea urchin cactus
In Hindi
River Birch
हाथी कैक्टस
In German
Fluss Birch
Igel Kaktus
In French
Birch river
hérisson cactus
In Spanish
river Birch
cactus de erizo
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
κάκτος σκαντζόχοιρος
In Portuguese
river Birch
hedgehog cactus
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
jeż kaktus
In Latin
Betula
cactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Caryophyllales
Family
Betulaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Betula
Echinopsis
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Trichocereeae
Subfamily
-
Cactoideae
Number of Species
32000
1
27800
👆🏻