Crimson Spine Succulent

This average-sized leaf succulent grows up to 72 feet (21.9 meters) tall. The stiff, pointed stem is red, and is covered in brittle crimson spines. The pebble-like leaves are solid bronze with dark yellow patches. Sparse amounts of them grow on bulbous, yellow-green branches that are short and slender. The leaves are durable, and take some effort to detach.

It is slow growing, taking 35 years to reach maturity. Once mature, and only under the right conditions, a single flower with petals that are bronze on the edges and olive at the center grows at the top, reappearing after 7 years, but only when the conditions are right again. The flower head is shaped like a cube with 8 tightly layered, narrow petals. It has a fairly strong scent that smells like soap.

The leaf succulent's skin is very thick, the gold flesh is rough, and the pink sap is thin.