Echinocereus maritimus

Echinocereus maritimus is a cactus from western Baja California, Mexico. It also grows wild on nearby islands. It belongs to the cactus family, Cactaceae. Kew calls it a succulent subshrub: a small shrub that stores water. It lives in deserts and dry shrubland near the coast. LLIFLE also lists it by another name, Cereus maritimus. Its type locality is Ensenada, in northern Baja California.

This cactus branches into low mounds of stems that grow together. Reported clumps reach about 1 foot [0.3 metres] tall. Larger plants can reach 1.3 feet [0.4 metres]. Wild colonies span 2–6.6 feet [0.6–2 metres] across. Some colonies hold as many as 300 stems. Each stem can be round or shaped like a cylinder. The stems range from light green to dark green. Each has eight to ten sharp ribs, sometimes more. Areoles sit along these ribs. They lie about 0.03–0.04 feet [0.01–0.012 metres] apart.

New spines are bright red, then turn yellowish or horn-coloured. Old spines fade to grey. The stout spines at the centre are flat and angled. They reach about 0.08–0.2 feet [0.025–0.06 metres] long. Lower spines spread out around the stems. Flowers grow just below the stem tips. The blooms form funnels and range from pale to bright yellow. Most measure about 0.1–0.13 feet [0.03–0.04 metres] across. Some reach 0.2 feet [0.06 metres]. Tangled spines can keep the flowers from opening wide. Blooms open by day and close at night. In the wild, flowers bloom from April through November. May brings the most blooms. Round, spiny fruits turn from green to red.

It grows wild on coastal dunes and rocky ground inland. It also grows on flat hills near the sea. Soils there include stony loam and sandy loam. Known sites lie from sea level to 164 feet [50 metres]. It shares these dry places with agaves and other cacti. The supplied facts for this species give no firm garden hardiness limits. Nor do they give a tested plan for watering or feeding.

Building near the coast threatens it across much of its range. Fishing camps leave waste and make new access paths. These paths can bring more building and harm from tourists. Tomato farms also threaten the places where it grows. Plans for tidal energy works pose a threat too. Some groups grow in protected areas, but threats remain. The supplied facts do not show food uses or establish toxicity.