Crimson Spine Cactus

This small cactus grows up to 2 feet (61.0 cm) tall. The very narrow, elongated stem is gray, and is covered in large amounts of rigid bold red spines.

It is slow growing, taking 17 years to reach maturity. Once mature, and only under the right conditions, a handful of flowers, with indigo petals and a yellow center, grow at the top, reappearing after 2 years, but only when the conditions are right again. The flower head is made up of 11 petals in raised layers. It has a strong scent that smells like a damp log.

The cactus's skin is delicate, the magenta flesh is soft, and the crimson sap is thin.