Crimson Spike Cactus

This short cactus grows up to 9 feet (2.7 meters) tall. The wispy stem is pink-red, and is covered in handfuls of rigid crimson spines.

It is slow growing, taking 34 years to reach maturity. Once mature, a handful of flowers, with petals that are magenta at the sides and red at the center, grow at the top, reappearing every year. The flower head is made up of 10 petals in raised layers. It has an overpowering scent that smells like baby powder.

The cactus's skin is very thick, the pink flesh is rough, and the muted orange sap is thin.