Turquoise Finger Cactus

This small cactus grows up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) tall. It splits near the top to form 4 finger-like stems. Each stem is yellow-green, and is covered in sharp spines.

It is slow growing, taking 11 years to reach maturity. Once mature, a single flower with pastel green petals and a muted blue central disk grows at the top, reappearing every year. The flower head is largely flat with 18 widely spaced narrow petals. It has a fairly strong scent that smells like grass cuttings.

The cactus's skin is delicate, the turquoise flesh is sticky, and the slate sap is thin.