Xerophyte

Roots

Fibrous.

Flowers

Trumpet-shaped, erect, somewhat variable from one plant to another, mostly light liliac-violet but sometime almost white 4 cm to 7,5 cm long and long and c. 6 cm wide, and appear in a ring close to the apex during late spring and summer. Ovary and tube with pointed spinescent scales and whitish hair or wool; the inner petals of a tender violet colour, hairy at the throat.Blooming season. Late spring to early summer. It starts blooming at around 8 cm in diameter.

Spines

10-12 (-20) per areole, dense, thin to strong, needle-like, straight or curved, more or less spreading, yellowish to honey-coloured (or pale-brown) up to about 3 cm long. Central spines 3 or 4, developing later, yellow tipped brown, up to 4 cm long.

Ribs

Numerous, 15 to 20, acute, 1 to 1.5 cm high notched, at the areoles.

Stem

Solitary to slowly clumping, globular to elongated, 20-60 cm tall, 10-15 cm thick, pale green to dull green.

Areoles

1.5 to 2 cm apart, round, whitish when young, rather large.