When you see cacti in movies or on television, they are usually tall and tree-like (saguaro), short and stout (golden barrel), or sprawling and spiny (prickly pear).  Many people don't know just how many other shapes and sizes of cacti are out there.

One of the most diverse genuses of cacti is called Echinocereus.  This name comes from the Greek words for hedgehog (echinos) and candle (cereus), a strange combination that perfectly describes a cactus's waxy surface and sharp thorns.  The genus contains species of many shapes including one with long skinny branches called the dahlia cactus (Echinocereus poselgeri).

Cacti in the Echinocereus genus have some of the most beautiful flowers in the entire cactus family.  The dahlia cactus has bright purple blooms that appear at the end of its pencil-like branches in the late spring or early summer.  While members of this genus are fairly easy to care for as indoor plants, it takes a bit more effort to help them bloom each year.  The dahlia cactus is hardier than most cacti and therefore requires cooler temperatures in the winter.  This, plus reduced watering, allows the plant to rest and prepare to grow flower buds in the spring.

The dahlia cactus may be one of the most unusual cacti, but its blooms also make it one of the most beautiful.