During mid-spring, the vivid pink to magenta flowers of strawberry hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus engelmannii) catch the attention of not only visitors but pollinators too. Bees and flies can be found taking advantage of the abudent pollen. Once pollinated, strawberry hedgehog flowers close and develop into small sweet fruits. Throughout the rest of the year, you can identify this cactus by its many short yet spiny brown stems (usually a foot tall) sticking out of the ground in a cluster.  Look for this plant all over Red Rock Canyon.

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