Crimson Spike

This small cactus grows up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) tall. The thin stem is gray, and is covered in thick bunches of fine, red, hair-like spines.

It is very slow growing, taking 25 years to reach maturity. Once mature, a handful of flowers, with solid orange petals and a peach central disk, grow at the top, reappearing every year. The flower head is an uncoordinated mess of 42 curved petals. It has a strong scent that smells like citrus.

The cactus's skin is thick, the blood red flesh is rough, and the lilac sap is thin.