hedgehog cactus


noun
  1. any of various rounded, usually spiny cacti of the genus Echinocereus, of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico, having bell-shaped flowers that close at night.

Origin of hedgehog cactus

1
An Americanism dating back to 1875–80

Words Nearby hedgehog cactus

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use hedgehog cactus in a sentence

  • He is odd and rather humble, and very much resembles the hedgehog cactus, another group of Cereus, entirely.

    The Fantastic Clan | John James Thornber
  • The stems of the Mojave hedgehog cactus are as long as seven inches and of a pale green.

    The Fantastic Clan | John James Thornber
  • This lacework of spines is rather similar to the network of thorns covering the hedgehog cactus.

    The Fantastic Clan | John James Thornber
  • Echinocactus (fig. 2) is the name given to the genus bearing the popular name of hedgehog cactus.