Origin and Habitat: Southern California to Colorado, and southern Nevada, southwestern Utah, northwestern Arizona, south through Californi and northeastern Baja California, Mexico. Plants in the western portion of the range of Echinocereus triglochidiatusSN|8375]]SN|10576]] are known as Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. mojavensisSN|8371]]SN|8371]]. That taxon includes curly-spined plants (mainly in California) and straight-spined plants (including most populations in Arizona, Utah, and western Colorado).
Elevation range: Above about 1500-3000 m.
Habitat: Mojave desert, chaparral. It is a fairly common component of vegetation communities on dry, well-drained gravelly and rocky soils. Sometimes the plants grow in sand-stuffed rock cracks. Such plants are small, and only have several stems. The plants growing by shady rocks and bushes looks much stronger. Echinocereus mojavensisSN|10576]]SN|8375]] is primarily pollinated by hummingbirds.

• Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. mojavensis (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) L.D.Benson
• Cereus mojavensis Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow
• Echinocereus coccineus subs. mojavensis (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) N.P.Taylor
• Echinocereus mojavensis (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) Rümpler
• Echinocereus triglochidiatus subs. mojavensis (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) W.Blum & Mich.Lange

• Echinocereus triglochidiatus Engelm.
• Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. octacanthus (Muehlenpf.) W.T.Marshall
• Echinocereus coccineus var. octacanthus (Muehlenpf.) Boissev.
• Echinocereus octacanthus (Muehlenpf.) Britton & Rose
• Echinopsis octacantha Muehlenpf.
• Echinocereus triglochidiatus f. variegatus hort.

• Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. inermis (K.Schum.) G.D.Rowley
• Echinocereus coccineus var. inermis (K.Schum.) J.A.Purpus
• Echinocereus phoeniceus var. inermis K.Schum.
• Echinocereus phoeniceus f. inermis (K.Schum.) Schelle

• Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. melanacanthus (Engelm. ex A.Gray) L.D.Benson
• Echinocereus gonacanthus (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) Rümpler
• Cereus gonacanthus Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow
• Echinocereus paucispinus var. gonacanthus (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) K.Schum.
• Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. gonacanthus (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) Boissev. in Boissev. & C.Davidson
• Echinocereus phoeniceus var. conoideus (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) K.Schum.
• Cereus conoideus Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow
• Cereus phoeniceus subs. conoideus (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow
• Cereus phoeniceus conoideus Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow
• Echinocereus conoideus (Engelm.) Rümpler

• Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. mojavensis (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) L.D.Benson
• Cereus mojavensis Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow
• Echinocereus coccineus subs. mojavensis (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) N.P.Taylor
• Echinocereus mojavensis (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) Rümpler
• Echinocereus triglochidiatus subs. mojavensis (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) W.Blum & Mich.Lange
• Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. mojavensis f. inermis hort.

Description: Echinocereus triglochidiatus subs. mojavensisSN|32836]]SN|8373]] (Echinocereus mojavensisSN|8371]]SN|8375]]) is a local or morphological form of the widespread and variable Echinocereus triglochidiatusSN|8373]]SN|10576]], but is recognised by some authorities as a legitimate species in its own right (E. Anderson 2001). Echinocereus triglochidiatus subs. mojavensisSN|10576]]SN|8373]] is an erect cylindrical cactus most readily distinguished by the the solitary (rarely 2) pale coloured, usually twisted central spine, and is the plant known as the Mojave hedgehog cactus. It is one of the most interesting cacti, that often forms large clumps, more than a half a meter in diameter, with more than a hundred heads (but large mounds with 500-800 heads have been reported).
Taxonomic note. Varieties merge gradually and irregularly into each other. For example in almost any California population of the western Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. mojavensisSN|8375]]SN|8371]], there are at least a few plants that would nearly or completely fit the description of var. melanacanthus (with dark spines) rather than var. mojavensis and characters attributed to var. mojavensis are found in some plants of var. melanacanthus in Utah, suggesting that there is not really a fundamental difference between the two and this description can be applied to all the synonyms of the type species taxa. The members of a genus, species, or variety vary as do people, and the taxa shade off into one another as do the races of man.
Derivation of specific name: Mojavensis is named for the Mojave River, but the species is not restricted to that region.
Stems: Usually erect, occurring in clumps, densely packed, globose to cylindrical up to about 5-20(-45) cm tall, each usually less than about 5 cm in diameter, pale green to bluish green.
Ribs: 8 to 14, 5 to 6 mm high, but becoming indistinct on old parts of stem, somewhat undulate.
Areoles: Circular, white, 10-40 mm apart, and somewhat woolly.
Spine: The spines are usually 5-11 per areole, all white, or in age grey, round in cross section, about curved (almost wavy), twisting, slightly rough under magnification and often interlocking with those of neighboring stems to form a dense web of spines covering the mound. Radial spines about 5-10, acicular, spreading,
curved, 1 to 2.5 cm long. Central spine one (or two), light coloured, subulate, porrect or somewhat spreading, usually twisting, often weak, 3 to 5 cm long. Central and radial spines are difficult to distinguish.
Flowers: Solitary, perfect, emerging from near the tip of individual stems. Flowers are rather narrow, funnel-shaped, orange to red, and about 5-7(-9) cm long. Perianth-segments broad, obtuse or even
retuse.Areoles on ovary with white felt and short acicular spines.
Blooming season: Blooms during spring (April—June).
Fruit: oblong to cylindrical, about 2-3.5 cm long, 1,5 cm in diameter. Green or yellow-green, reddish when ripe, spines deciduous. Juicy and edible, pulp white. Fruiting: 2-2.5 months after flowering.
Remarks: A spineless form (Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. mojavensis f. inermisSN|8373]]SN|32836]]) has been applied at various taxonomic ranks to individual plants with spines absent, or nearly so, in the eastern portion of var. mojavensis, mainly found in the mountains and mesas of western Colorado and eastern Utah. On these plants, areoles may have very few spines, and some stems can be almost completely spineless. But the same plant will have spined stems and many spines per areole in another area.

Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Nathaniel Lord Britton, Joseph Nelson Rose “Cactaceae: Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family” Volume 3, 1922
2) David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. "The New Cactus Lexicon" dh books, 2006
3) Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
4) Taylor, N.P. “The Genus Echinocereus.” A Kew Magazine Monograph, Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Collingridge Books, London. 1985
5) Lyman D. Benson “The Native Cacti of California” Stanford University Press, 01 September 1988
6) Renée Van Buren, Janet G. Cooper, Leila M. Shultz, Kimball T. Harper “Woody Plants of Utah: A Field Guide with Identification Keys to Native and Naturalized Trees, Shrubs, Cacti, and Vines” University Press of Colorado, 01 November 2011

Cultivation and Propagation: This cactus is widely cultivated for its flowers. It is among the easiest species to grow, flower and propagate. Water regularly from March to October. Rot prone in winter, it needs good drainage. Claret Cups require strong sunlight to maintain a healthy appearance, and a harsh "dry and cool" winter environment combined with maximum light exposure enhances spring flower production. Frost Tolerance: Depending on the provenance, the Californian forms are hardy to -6° C; the others are much more cold-resistant.
Propagation: Seeds (usually), it also can be grown from cuttings, as it can branch from the base.