Crimson Spine Succulent

This small leaf succulent grows up to 7 feet (2.1 meters) tall. The slender, pointed stem is gray, and is covered in thick sheets of rigid crimson spines. The smooth-edged, needle-like leaves are cyan and dark brown. Large amounts of them grow from the base like rose petals. The leaves are hardy, but are very difficult to pull away.

It is steady-growing, taking 5 years to reach maturity. Once mature, a handful of flowers, with petals that are lilac at the sides and aquamarine at the center, grow at the top, reappearing once every 2 years. The flower head is shaped like a sphere made up of dozens of widely spaced, round-tipped petals. It has an overpowering scent that smells like an ocean breeze.

The leaf succulent's skin is thin, the copper flesh is smooth, and the black sap is thin.