It grows on full sun, in sandy or rocky well-drained soil.

The usually branched plant forms small mounds that consist of a around 30 stem clumps and can reach a diameter of up to one meter.

The 4 to 7 central spines, which can also be missing, have an angular cross section and are up to 7 centimeters long.

After blooms, it has edible spherical fruits turn red and have falling thorns.

[4] Accepted subspecies:[5] Echinocereus coccineus is distributed in the southern US states of Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas, as well as south through the Sonoran Desert to the Mexican states of Coahuila and Chihuahua at elevations of 685 to 1775 meters.

The specific epithet coccineus comes from Latin, means 'dark red' and refers to the color of the flowers of the species.