Horse Crippler (Devil's Head)
Scientific Name: (Echinocactus texensis, Cactus Family)
Definition: Horse Crippler usually grows 1 - 2 inches above ground and up to 12 inches across. For this reason it can be hard to see, and many horses have been crippled from stepping on it. It usually has one stem, sometimes 2 or 3. Blooms are bell shaped and inverted. Petals are salmon colored (or pink) and about 1 - 2 inches across and about as tall. Petals have a feathery appearance at the edge. Anthers are pink to red, and the pistil is conspicuously yellow. Blooms April - May.